image by: Thomas_H_foto

HWN Suggests

Is Vaping Worth Saving?

Depending on which study you read, vaping is either saving the lives of smokers, or just wreaking new havoc on lungs. It’s currently just impossible to know what vaping’s “deal” is, hence the continuing flow of research. No matter what, vaping has gone from a sorta douchey hobby to a full-blown voting issue in a matter of months. The “I Vape, I Vote”-ers are riled up in defense of vaping, which they view as a public Good. But… should they? Is vaping worth saving, or is all this fervor just further proof to the power of nicotine addiction? Are any of absolute evils of e-cigarettes worth the relative good of helping people quit actual cigarettes?

read full article

Featured

 Nearly 2,000 Chemicals—Some Potentially Harmful—Found in Vaping Aerosols

Researchers discover industrial chemicals, a pesticide and caffeine during analysis of popular vaping products.

 This is how vaping really impacts your body

How much do we really know about vaping? Given that e-cigarettes were only invented 20 years ago, the truth is: not much. In the grand scheme of science, they simply haven't been around long enough for us to know all the ways vaping can impact our health, wellbeing and even our appearance in the long term.

Articles of Interest

Health Concerns About Vaping Are Growing—Here’s Why

In the U.S., cigarettes are still responsible for 480,000 deaths a year, and with proven links to lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and heart disease, efforts to vilify them are based on cold, hard facts. The data around e-cigarettes are murkier, however, and remain contested even among doctors and researchers.

How a person vapes, not just what a person vapes, could also play a big role in vaping harm

The way users puff, how long they puff and what they puff all play a role. We do not yet know how this behavior affects how much of each substance vapers consume over the course of their daily lives, but we have reason to believe it is significant.

Safe or Deadly: College Students Debate Vaping

Is the controversy all smoke or is there fire?

Scientists are beginning to learn how vaping impacts teens — and the results are troubling

Vaping appears to be wildly popular among teens who use e-cigs illegally. And in an ironic twist, teens who try vaping are at a far higher risk of becoming smokers compared with teens who don't.

The Dangers of Vaping: Making the Case for Tighter Regulation

“There is a huge variety of products and a huge variety of liquids, and the problem is that there is no regulation.”

Up in smoke: are we wrong about the dangers of vaping?

Since vaping became a popular alternative to smoking, the big tobacco companies have been moving into the market. But do we know enough about the risks?

Vaping and mental health are closely linked. That can make quitting even harder

We know vaping and mental health (including anxiety and depression) are linked. People who vape frequently are twice as likely to have a depression diagnosis compared with people who have never vaped.

Vaping damages young people’s lungs as much as smoking, study suggests

Research challenges idea that vaping could be healthier alternative to smoking, say authors of research.

Vaping harms more than just your lungs

New research shows cardiovascular health is also at risk.

Vaping health crisis: what you need to know

This past year has seen a skyrocketing rate of teen vaping, an outbreak of lung injuries, some serious regulatory shake-ups in the e-cigarette industry, and a whole lot of panic. With so many different vaping crises going on right now, we thought we’d provide a vaping roundup.

Vaping is an urgent threat to public health

If unchecked by strict regulations, the next generation of youth is likely to be the most nicotine-dependent and the heaviest smoking in recent history, wiping out decades of efforts to protect them.

Vaping is probably bad for your heart

Recent studies have all found frequent e-cigarette use could put users at an increased risk for a heart attack.

Vaping Is Risky. Why Is the F.D.A. Authorizing E-Cigarettes?

The agency has taken a controversial stand on vaping as a way to quit tobacco. This is what the research shows.

Vaping Is the New Smoking. Is That a Good Thing?

But vaping–using a handheld vaporizer that draws on liquid typically packed with nicotine–is up, which raises new issues. At last count, 3.2% of U.S. adults (about 7.5 million) said they used e-cigarettes, and it’s even more common among teens. Nearly 12% of high schoolers vape; they especially favor Juul, the brand that dominates the U.S. market.

Vaping may be more dangerous than we realized

He and other researchers around the world are now scrambling to figure out what impact this new habit might have on developing bodies and brains in the long term. And they’re finding that e-cigarettes may be more dangerous than we’ve appreciated, especially for hearts, lungs, and brains. There’s also a growing body of research suggesting that vaping can lead to smoking.

Vaping: A growing global health concern

The epidemic of teen vaping and the outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries and deaths in the U.S. underscore the urgent need to systematically regulate electronic cigarette manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. However, development of plausible and effective vaping regulations and most importantly, their enforcement are likely to present unique challenges to countries across the globe.

Vaping: The Good, the Bad and the Popcorn Lung

So what is the vaping-popcorn lung connection? Most high-end vape makers don’t use diacetyl, but in 2015, more than half of the mass-market e-cigarettes studied were found to contain the chemical – especially flavored vape juice. The diacetyl makes the flavors richer, but because the vapor is being breathed in, it exposes users to the risk of popcorn lung, which increases the longer these liquids are vaped. Particularly concerning is the fact that diacetyl is primarily found in flavored e-liquids – which tend to be more appealing to teenagers.

Vaping: The new wave of nicotine addiction

Vaping devices, introduced to the US market in 2007 as aids for smoking cessation, have become popular among youth and young adults because of their enticing flavors and perceived lack of negative health effects. However, evidence is emerging that vaping may introduce high levels of dangerous chemicals into the body and cause severe lung injury and death.

Vaping: What You Need to Know

E-cigarettes are being marketed as a safe alternative to smoking. But they're not because e-cigarettes are still putting nicotine — a highly addictive drug — into the body.

We Need More Words for “Vaping”

The term vape first originated in the 1980s, describing, at the time, experimental versions of a “noncombustible cigarette.” The concept went from wonky projects to commercial success in the early 2000s, thanks to an inventor in China. In 2014, Oxford Dictionaries declared vape the word of the year. It was a prescient move in how widespread the concept has become. It was a bad one in that there are so many different things that can be vaped, in such a variety of legal and social contexts, that the word should not have been cemented as a single catchall

We Still Don’t Know How Safe Vaping Is

With dozens of people becoming sick from a vaping-related illness, it’s time to get more information about the risks of e-cigarettes.

What We (Still Don't) Know About Vaping

Manufacturers were quick to claim that e-cigarettes were a safer alternative to smoking. Now, amid a glut of vape-related lung ailments, claims of hazards inherent to all vaping are coming just as quickly. Truth is, there are many questions, but few answers.

Why vaping is so bad for your skin, according to dermatologists

Yes, e-cigarettes contain toxins that damage the skin. According to Dr Mervyn Patterson, Cosmetic Doctor at Woodford Medical, there are no positive things to say about vaping - or smoking for that matter.

'Vaporizers' Are the New Draw in E-Cigarettes

All e-cigarettes are metal and plastic heating devices, using batteries to turn nicotine-laced liquid into vapor. But vaporizers resemble large fountain pens, with bigger batteries and cartridges, so they hold more liquid, produce larger vapor clouds and last longer. They also allow users, who often call themselves "vapers,'' to mix and match hardware and refill cartridges with liquid bought in bulk.

Addicted to Vaped Nicotine, Teenagers Have No Clear Path to Quitting

Alarmed by the addictive nature of nicotine in e-cigarettes and its impact on the developing brain, public health experts are struggling to address a surging new problem: how to help teenagers quit vaping. Until now, the storm over e-cigarettes has largely focused on how to keep the products away from minors. But the pervasiveness of nicotine addiction among teenagers who already use the devices is now sinking in — and there is no clear science or treatment to help them stop.

Are E-Cigarettes a Boon or a Menace?

A new study says they may aid folks who want to quit smoking. But doctors fear there's a darker side to the electronic devices.

Clouded judgments on vaping are harmful

Doctors are partly to blame for the alarming rise in vaping addiction, argues Dr Philip Barber.

Do E-Cigarettes Do More Good Than Harm?

A debate over which is bigger: the damage from the rise in teenage vaping or the benefits of using e-cigarettes to stop tobacco smoking.

E-Cigarette and Vape Pen Module

This module provides an understanding of the inner workings of e-cigarettes, the content of the aerosols they produce, and thirdhand smoke. Please note: e-cigarettes, vape pens, etc. may be abbreviated as e-cigs or vapes, and refer to any device similar to an e-cigarette.

Ever tried telling a teen to stop Juuling? These experts have a tip

Avoid D.A.R.E.-style messaging and tap into kids’ sense of rebellion.

Everything We Know About E-Cigarettes So Far

Show of hands: Who’s heard an e-cigarette user say “it’s just water vapor”? Yeah, most of us. And as you can probably imagine, it’s…not just water vapor.

F.D.A. Orders Juul to Stop Selling E-Cigarettes

The agency ruled against the company’s application to stay on the market, a decisive blow to a once-popular vaping brand that appealed to teenagers.

FDA: we might have to ban some e-cigarettes to stop teens from vaping

The agency is eyeing a crackdown on flavored e-cigs in the face of an “epidemic” of teen use.

How Juul Hooked Kids and Ignited a Public Health Crisis

Though Juul is not the only e-cigarette for sale in the U.S., it is largely blamed for the vaping explosion and controls about 50% of the market, putting a sharp focus on the company.

How to Help Teenagers Quit Vaping

Though options are limited for now, they exist. For starters, parents should recognize that they are confronting an addiction to nicotine, which is hard to break.

How to Quit Vaping

Millions of Americans use e-cigarettes. There’s little research into how to help them stop.

Is It Time to Quit Vaping?

Health officials have recommended that people refrain from using e-cigarettes as they investigate a severe lung illness that has killed eight people. Here are some things to consider.

Is vaping bad for you, and how are the rules changing?

The government is tightening up the rules about how vapes are marketed and sold, alongside wider plans to tackle health issues caused by smoking.

Juul Exhales After Dodging Full Ban on Flavored E-Cigs

Along with the flavor restrictions, the FDA also released the results from its annual national survey, which found that more than 3 million high school students now use e-cigarettes, a 78 percent increase over last year; among middle schoolers, use rose 48 percent, to 570,000 students. The authors of the study said the rise was likely due to the popularity of e-cigarettes like Juul.

Juul will stop selling teens’ favorite e-cigarette flavors in stores

Today (Nov. 13) Juul announced it will no longer sell four of its flavored e-cigarette cartridges in stores, and will discontinue using its Facebook and Instagram accounts in the US. It will keep selling the cartridges on its website, which asks users to verify that they are at least 21 years old. According to a company press release, Juul will stop selling cucumber, mango, creme, and fruit flavors in stores or gas stations. However, it will continue to sell mint, menthol, and tobacco flavors, because those are already sold as tasting like “cigarettes.”

Juul, the vape device teens are getting hooked on, explained

If you’ve seen people sucking on USB flash drives, they’re probably “Juuling.”

Juulers Against Juul

We Need Change. Regulate Flavored E-Cigarettes.

My teen is addicted to vaping. How can I help them quit and manage their withdrawal symptoms?

Young people are at greater risk of nicotine dependence than adults and can develop dependence faster. Once nicotine-dependent, a person will experience withdrawal symptoms if they reduce or cease their use. These symptoms can include irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; increased appetite; restlessness; depressed mood; and insomnia.

Nicotine sickness: the latest vaping scare

The rampant use of e-cigarettes in the US is raising concerns about nicotine poisoning and mental health issues among young vapers

She Couldn’t Quit Smoking. Then She Tried Juul

Millions embrace e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. Will restricting the devices for teenagers put former adult smokers who vape at risk to start again?

So You Started Vaping to Quit Smoking. Now What?

Let's go over what we know about vaping versus smoking.

Some E-Cigarette Flavors May Be More Harmful Than Others

It’s difficult for researchers to uncover what even goes into different vape juices.

The flavoring chemicals in e-cigarettes are linked to a disease known as “popcorn lung”

Researchers at Harvard’s school of public health have published a new study about the safety of electronic cigarettes, and it has nothing to do with nicotine. More than 75% of the flavored e-cigarettes the researchers tested contained the chemical diacetyl, which multiple studies have linked to lung damage.

The Mysterious Vaping Illness That’s ‘Becoming an Epidemic’

A surge of severe lung ailments has baffled doctors and public health experts.

The number of US teens who vape more than doubled in the last year

The FDA has become increasingly worried about teens using e-cigarettes. Although the products are often marketed as a replacement for adults trying to curb tobacco use, many e-cigarettes are sweetly flavored, which is a draw for teens. Some of these flavors contain dubious chemicals that have not yet been proven to be completely safe. There’s also evidence that teenagers who smoke e-cigarettes are more likely to switch over to traditional tobacco after less than a year.

The Price of Cool: A Teenager, a Juul and Nicotine Addiction

E-cigarettes may help tobacco smokers quit. But the alluring devices can swiftly induce a nicotine habit in teenagers who never smoked. This is the tale of one person’s struggle.

The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul

Teens have taken a technology that was supposed to help grownups stop smoking and invented a new kind of bad habit, molded in their own image.

The sweetness of e-cigarette flavors is more likely to get teens hooked than the nicotine

The researchers found that sweetness was the most desired common denominator; that is, even a sweet-flavored e-cigarette with no nicotine was preferred over one without the sweetness, and with nicotine. This was also reflected in neural responses: Even without being presented an actual e-cigarette to smoke, participants’ brains responded more to cues that were associated with sweetness. And if adolescents first start smoking unflavored vapes with nicotine, the addition of sweet flavors could make them continue.

Up in Smoke: The Problems With That 'Vaping Is 95 Percent Safer Than Smoking' Study

The claim that e-cigarettes are 95 percent safer than cigarettes inspired plenty of headlines. It also has plenty of problems.

Vape Pens and E-Cigs Are Blowing Up. Like, Literally

SOME PEOPLE HAIL vaping as a safer alternative to cigarettes, arguing that there's no tobacco smoke, so it's got to be safer. It remains to be seen if that's true, and there is some evidence that the stuff inside vapes and e-cigs is toxic. But beyond that, there’s the fact these things occasionally blow up.

Vaping beats nicotine gum at helping people quit smoking

Vaping really does appear to help people stop smoking better than old-style nicotine patches and gum. Quit rates were nearly twice as high in people who switched to e-cigarettes than in those who used other nicotine-replacement therapies in a recent trial. E-cigarettes have long been suspected to be the superior quitting aid, but the only previous head-to-head trial used an early version that didn’t deliver much nicotine and so didn’t show any difference in quit rates compared to patches.

We Are Completely Overreacting to Vaping

The moral panic against it is an irrational response fueled by anti-smoker bias.

What's Behind A Cluster Of Vaping-Related Hospitalizations?

Vaping has been linked to a cluster of hospitalizations in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

What’s Going on With These Mysterious Vaping-Related Illnesses?

The worst outcome of all the worry about this undefined threat is that people would retreat to something we know is incredibly harmful: cigarettes.

Resources

AVOID

Your organization strives to keep kids healthy. AVOID can help you talk to kids about the risk of vapes using science-based brief educational videos.

Flavors Hook Kids

Flavors mask the harsh taste of tobacco which makes it easier for kids to smoke — and most kids don’t know that flavored e-cigarettes are high in nicotine.

PAVe

PAVe (Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes) is a grassroots organization founded by three concerned moms as a response to the current youth vaping epidemic, the most serious adolescent public-health crisis our country has faced in decades.

The Real Cost

You already know that tobacco is bad for you, but even experimenting can come with a cost.

Truth

We're not here to criticize your choices, or tell you not to smoke. We're here to arm everyone – smokers and non-smokers – with the tools to make change.