Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019 - 10

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More Facts About Vaping
Mayor Kenney has proposed a bill that would ban the sale of
flavored, that is high-nicotine e-cigarettes, in stores that admit
minors. He is also calling for a citywide education campaign
to inform young people of the dangers of vaping.
(Statistics from CDC)
The median age of patients is 23 years.
The median age of patients who have died is 44 years.
70% of patients are male.
15% are under 18 years old.
In 2018, 3.6 million youth, including 1 in 5 high school
students, and 1 in 10 middle school students used e-cigarettes.

Stemming the Tide:

The Imperative to Act
Amid the Vaping Epidemic
continued from page 9

* The Philadelphia Department of Public Health advises
that no youth be exposed to nicotine in any form due to the
potential harms to adolescent brain development. Any adult
who is attempting to quit tobacco use should first use FDA
approved medications and behavioral coaching and supports,
such as 1-800-Quit-Now, which offers free medications and
phone-based counseling support.

E-cigarette use increased 78% from 2017-2018 among high
school students.

* Health care providers can ask about vaping when assessing
tobacco use and advise youth and adults to quit vaping or
tobacco use in general.

As of October 15, 1,479 lung injury cases associated with the
use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products have been reported in
49 states (all except Alaska).

* As vaping is still a relatively recent epidemic, there is not an
abundance of evidence-based youth vaping cessation resources.
Available resources include:

Vaping-related lung disease is being blamed for 33 deaths in
24 states, including one death in Pennsylvania.

* "This is Quitting" - Truth Initiative® has expanded its
quit-smoking resources to include an innovative and free
text message program at: truthinitiative.org, and thetruth.
com, created with input from teens, college students and
young adults who have attempted to, or successfully quit
e-cigarettes. The program is tailored by age group to give
teens and young adults appropriate recommendations
about quitting. The program will also serve as a resource
for parents looking to help their children who now vape.
The program can be accessed by going to: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/quitting-smoking-vaping/
quitting-e-cigarettes.

All the victims reported a history of using e-cigarette, or
vaping, products.
THC is present in most of the samples tested by FDA, and most
patients report a history of using THC-containing products.
The latest national and state findings suggest that products
containing THC, particularly those obtained off the street or
from other sources - friends, family - are linked to most of
the cases and play a major role in the outbreak.
The CDC recommends that no one should use e-cigarette, or
vaping, products that contain THC.
The CDC goes on to say that since the specific cause of lung
injury is not yet known, everyone should refrain from using
all e-cigarette, or vaping, products.
The use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products are unsafe for all
ages, including youth and young adults. Nicotine is highly
addictive and can harm adolescent brain development.
E-cigarettes contain carcinogens, though lower amounts than
burned in tobacco products.
E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful
and potentially harmful substances, including nicotine,
heavy metals like lead, volatile organic compounds, and
cancer-causing agents.
All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According
to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much
nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. *

10 Philadelphia Medicine : Fall/Winter 2019

* "My Life, My Quit" - My Life, My Quit, shares the truth
about nicotine, vaping and other tobacco products. If
you decide you want to quit, they are here to help you
do it successfully. Text "start my quit" at 855-891-8989
or call to talk with a quit coach who is ready to listen and
cheer you on. It's YOUR LIFE and we're here to help
you live it YOUR WAY.
* Include all ENDS products in clean indoor air policies to
be totally tobacco and vape-free.
* Talk to your students and children about vaping.
* The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has created
a toolkit to assist schools and parents in addressing youth
vaping. The toolkit can be accessed by going to: http://
smokefreephilly.org/resources/downloadable-media/. Schools
and social networks can be a critical setting where youth are
exposed to vaping.
You can reach Ryan Coffman by emailing him at Ryan.coffman@
phila.gov. *

http://www.truthinitiative.org http://www.smokefreephilly.org/resources/downloadable-media/ http://www.smokefreephilly.org/resources/downloadable-media/

Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019