State must address vaping
Over the last several months, we’ve learned a lot about the dangers of e-cigarettes, sometimes known as vapes.
Once thought to be a healthier alternative to combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes were thrust into the spotlight last year when emergency rooms across the country were flooded with thousands of patients suffering from mysterious and deadly lung injuries. Since then, the scientific community, including the CDC, has released several studies detailing the dangers of vaping.
In the midst of these revelations, it became sadly evident that Florida had become one of the states that was hit hardest by the dangers of vaping. As of last fall, Florida had reported 78 vaping-related illnesses and two deaths.
Additionally — and very troublingly — a 2019 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey found 9.1% of middle school students who were surveyed had vaped, a shocking figure that should worry us all.
While the effects of vaping were not initially clear, a recent study frighteningly indicated a direct correlation between vaping and respiratory disease and lung damage. Studies have also found that vaping may lead to smoking, which is the main risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Characterized by difficulty breathing and restricted airflow into and out of the lungs, COPD is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans, killing approximately 140,000 people in the country annually.
This information is troubling for Floridians, especially considering the fact that the state already suffers from elevated rates of COPD. According to CDC data, Florida ranks 10th in the country based on the rate of COPD, and nearly 8% of Floridians reported having been told by a health care professional that they have COPD.
As of Feb. 4, more than 2,700 cases of hospitalizations or deaths related to vaping have been reported to the CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories. Research shows that certain groups of patients released from the hospital who have suffered from lung injuries as a result of vaping are more likely to be rehospitalized or die. For those who do survive, vaping can lead to longterm
HOME DELIVERY RATES lung health problems.
Federal health officials and local governments have taken steps toward combating the vaping epidemic. In Florida, state lawmakers have recently taken action to address these issues through two separate bills to limit access to vaping products, including imposing a ban on online sales and increasing taxes.
Late last month, members of the Senate unanimously agreed to raise the official age to 21 for all tobacco and vaping products sales. And on Feb. 6, the nationwide ban on flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarette products went into effect in an effort to reduce teen vaping.
But more needs to be done. To continue combating the dangers of vaping and ensuring the health and well-being of citizens across the state, Florida must take a stand. Our government should establish stricter penalties for those caught selling tobacco products to underage customers. Smoking cessation education must be a top priority particularly for middle and high school students. Most importantly, they must establish proper cessation programs to help people quit vaping.
A recent report by the Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, found that 40% of smokers don’t even get advised to quit. More troubling is that there is currently no federal consensus on cessation methods for those who wish to quit vaping. Those who do desire to quit are driven to smokefree.gov. While these cessation methods may prove effective for people who smoke combustible tobacco, the effects of e-cigarettes and other vaping products differ greatly from cigarettes and may require different methods and strategies to help quit. Florida should initiate research to find the most effective cessation methods for vaping.
The Trump administration’s recent action to curb the epidemic is good progress toward reducing vaping deaths and illnesses, but Floridians concerned with their health and their families’ health must act on the lessons we have learned about vaping to take action that will save lives.