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Vaping Dangers

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Vaping Dangers

. However, research is showing that vaping is equally as dangerous to one’s health and may in fact be even more hazardous. Because vaping sends substances straight into the cells of the body, the damage can be very severe.

A recent study concerning vaping dangers was conducted by Irfan Rahman at the University of New York was reported on by Lindsay Konkel in Science News for Students earlier this year. Konkel reported that researchers found that teens complained of wounds that wouldn’t heal and having a smokers cough after vaping consistently. Teens seem to believe that e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco. But the truth is that they contain nicotine, which tobacco is a form of, and the dangers of developing bloody mouth sores, coughing, and even cancer are real.

Another concern is that teens perceive that because e-cigarette vaping doesn’t always taste like tobacco it is not as dangerous. Manufacturers use fruity flavoring, or bubble gum flavors, etc. that lure the teens into thinking that these substances are safe to use. Further, research shows that teens who vape are more likely to develop into chainsmokers as adults.

More and more recent research is pointing to the extreme dangers of vaping. But because vaping has only been available in the United States since 2007, there are still many unknowns. This, combined with teens skewed perception of vaping dangers is cause for concern.

sources: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/concerns-explode-over-new-health-risks-vaping

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Smoke-Free Homes Are Becoming More Popular

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smokefreehomesSmoke-Free Homes Are Becoming More Popular

Just forty years ago, an average of forty two percent of the population smoked tobacco. Most of these smokers engaged in smoking indoors- many in their homes. Second hand smoke was not as understood and the population was not as aware of the consequences and side effects. However, the number of individuals who smoke tobacco has decreased over the years and has, in turn, produced more smoke-free homes. In fact, a recent study shows that eighty three percent of homes are now smoke free. This is a victory for those who have fought against second hand smoke for so many years.

Experts attribute the increase in smoke-free homes to the changes in social attitudes and norms. Research is very clear on the dangers of tobacco smoke and people are paying heed. Socially, it is frowned upon to be a smoker, where it once was glamorized years ago. Another major contributor is simply that many pubic places no longer allow smoking indoors, like restaurants, movie theaters, and social halls. Because of this, many smokers kick the habit while they are in those public places and are able to carry that determination to quit with them once they are at home as well. Furthermore, smoking is prohibited in almost all social areas, like restaurants and movie theaters. Ideally, smoking tobacco will not be present in any homes in the future, providing a more clean and safe area for those who reside there that have no control over whether or not their home is smoke-free.

 

 

 

 

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California Changes Legal Smoking Age to 21

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California smoking legal ageCalifornia Changes Legal Smoking Age to 21

Just last week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed multiple bills, elevating the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. He also placed restrictions on smoking areas and sales of e-cigarettes. Research shows that when adolescents begin smoking at a young age, they are more likely to experiment with more addicting substances. Thus, the passing of these bills is significant as far as prevention goes.

Interestingly, although the new laws require consumers to be 21-years-old or older to be able to purchase cigarettes, a stipulation was added to allow military personnel 18 and over to be able to purchase them. As for e-cigarettes and other vapor products like hookahs and pipe tobacco, they will now be regulated like other tobacco products in California. Further, all of the products will now have to come in child-resistant packaging in hopes of reducing the amount of poisonings in young children that has been on the rise since the popularity of e-cigarettes has increased. Also, companies will also have to provide a list of ingredients in the vapors and have warnings on their packages and on their ads.

This past January, Hawaii was the first state to raise the legal smoking age. Since then, many large cities – including New York and San Francisco have followed suit. Changing the legal smoking age in California to 21 will not only help to prevent future addictions to other substances, but also will help prevent premature deaths and lung cancer.

 

 

 

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Hawaii Raises Legal Smoking Age to 21

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Hawaii Raises Legal Smoking Age to 21

Becoming the first state to do so, Hawaii will raise its legal smoking age to 21 beginning on the first day of 2016. So, starting next year, Hawaiians will have to be 21 to purchase cigarettes. With vapor and e-cigarette use on the rise among teens, Hawaii lawmakers are hoping they can prevent more adolescents from smoking, buying or possessing both traditional and electronic cigarettes.

According to the state health department, over 5,000 adolescents try smoking in Hawaii each year and 86 percent of Hawaiian adults started smoking before they were 21 years old. Also troubling, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reported that 1,400 people die from tobacco use or exposure in Hawaii every year.

Cbsnews.com indicated that Hawaii Govenor David Ige is hopeful the new law will help in a big way to prevent teen smoking. They quote him as saying, “Raising the minimum age as part of our comprehensive tobacco control efforts will help reduce tobacco use among our youth and increase the likelihood that our keiki will grow up tobacco-free,” using the Hawaiian word for children.

Beginning January 1, 2016, if a person is caught attempting to buy cigarettes in Hawaii under the legal age, they will be fined $10 on the first attempt. Later violations are harsher and include fines and mandatory community service.

Also, Governor Ige just signed another anti-smoking measure to make Hawaii’s state parks and beaches smoke-free.

Because research shows that many kids who try smoking are more apt to develop addictions and substance abuse problems later on, measures such as these in Hawaii will hopefully lead to prevention of not just smoking, but other dangerous habits as well.

 

 

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FDA and E-Cigarettes Warnings

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FDAande-cigarettesFDA and E-Cigarettes Warnings

When e-cigarettes first hit the market the public immediately began fighting for ways to warn users of the effects. Most wanted lawmakers to enforce stricter packaging with warning labels and felt like, until recently, these pleadings fell on deaf ears.

Just last Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a 15-page “notice of proposed rulemaking” that requests warning labels and child-proof packaging on liquid nicotine and tobacco products (e-cigarettes). Most believe that the FDA has finally responded due to the increase in calls to poison control centers related to liquid nicotine, which is used in e-cigarettes. For instance, just in 2013, there were 1,543 calls to poison control centers. Many of these calls involved children.

USA today reports, “This historic proposal to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and require warning labels as well as federal approval is a huge step in prevention. Although it’s taken nearly three years, the FDA is moving to control not only these battery-powered devices but also cigars, pipe tobacco, hookahs (water pipes) and dissolvable tobacco products. Currently, the FDA regulates cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless products such as snuff.”

There are more battles to fight however. The proposed rules will help with warning labels and such but won’t ban advertising unless the products make health-related claims. They also will not ban the use of flavors such as chocolate or bubble gum in e-cigarettes, which public health officials say might attract children.

Source: USAtoday.com

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Are Cigarettes the Real “Gateway Drug?”

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cigarettesGatewayDrugAre Cigarettes the Real “Gateway Drug?”

American kids often have a misguided concept of cigarettes because they are legal and used so casually and widely by so many. Tobacco advertising shows very respectable people smoking cigarettes, which may lead kids to perceive that they aren’t dangerous. Marijuana has often been dubbed “the gateway drug” implying that marijuana use leads to use of other dangerous drugs. However, not all kids have been exposed to marijuana, but kids have seen normal everyday people engaged in nicotine addiction with cigarettes.

Cigarette are much more accessible to many kids than other drugs, and its much more likely that a parent or adult figure in a kid’s life smokes cigarettes as opposed to marijuana. These kids are misguided by watching those they may love or respect smoke cigarettes and thinking that cigarettes are not as harmful/deadly as illegal drugs. However, nicotine will kill more people in a year then all of the hard drugs combined. And, the nicotine in cigarettes is highly addictive and results in withdrawal symptoms when a person tries to stop smoking. Naively, parents may feel relieved to find out that their kids are “only” smoking cigarettes and not using drugs or alcohol, but the reality is that tobacco is commonly the first step towards drug addiction.

Nicotine addiction is a serious matter that affects millions of people worldwide. To downplay the fact that smoking cigarettes is addicting will harm our kids and society. Although marijuana and other drugs are very dangerous, smoking cigarettes truly can be seen as the gateway drug to extremely dangerous illegal drug use in the future.
 

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E-Cigarette Controversy

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ecigarettecontroversyE-Cigarette Controversy

More and more people are joining together to ban flavorings and advertising on TV for E-cigarettes. In fact, prominent groups such as the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association and most recently the American College of Physicians are included in this increasing force.

E-cigarettes are not healthy or safe, but many believe that the advertising and the flavors are appealing to more naive and younger generations that cannot determine the danger of them. Many studies, in fact, have proven that e-cigarettes are dangerous to users, as they still contain nicotine and other particles that put stress on the lungs. They are definitely not “safe” as they are advertised to be.

The flavorings that are used also draw a younger population. These include flavors such as bubblegum, cinnamon, and chocolate. Many younger individuals don’t realize the danger of the nicotine when it is disguised with such a fun flavor, critics argue.

Although the FDA has not addressed the trepidations of the growing concerned numbers of groups, many agree that TV advertising and flavorings for e-cigarettes should be banned. They argue that if advertisements for regular cigarettes are banned from TV then e-cigarette advertisements should be banned as well. And they conclude that with fewer flavorings, less people will be attracted to the dangerous, addicting product.

 

 

 

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