DRUG AWARENESS (Dick Wilson, CHAIR)
(435) 773-6974
We all know that education creates awareness . It is difficult to tell people what is unhealthy or dangerous to their health unless we understand .
This article is about vaping. What are E-Cigarettes? The U S Department of Health & Human Services says E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs”, “e-hookahs”, “mods”, “vape pens”, “tank systems”, and “electronic nicotine delivery systems.” Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks and other everyday items.
E-cigarettes heat a liquid to produce an aerosol that usually contains nicotine (the addictive drug in tobacco products), flavorings, and other chemicals. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air. E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.
So now we know what they are, how are they being used? A recent CDC study found that many adults are using e-cigarettes to stop smoking, but the FDA does not approve of e-cigarettes as a quit smoking aid. Why? If E-cigarettes were used to replace tobacco products, there may be a value as the consequences of tobacco products are more severe. But studies show people do not stop using tobacco, and long-term usage of E-cigarettes has its own dangers. According to Brian King at the CDC, “Everyone, including older adults, should refrain from using all E-cigarettes and vape products.”
We don’t have enough long-term statistics to define the dangers of E-cigarettes, but we do know there are reports of severe breathing problems and deaths. Research is still being done on the particles that the additives leave in our system. “Anyone who vapes puts their lungs at risk,” says pathologist Maxwell Smith, coauthor of a recent Mayo Clinic study of lung damage.
Bottom line; smoking tobacco products and vaping can lower your immunity to respiratory infections. With the Coronavirus in our midst, attacking our lungs, do we want to lessen our ability to fight off infection?
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you don’t vape, don’t start. If you use either, stop. We care about you and your loved ones. Education should be shared. Please share!
Evelyn Wilson, Member, Drug Awareness Program
This article is about vaping. What are E-Cigarettes? The U S Department of Health & Human Services says E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs”, “e-hookahs”, “mods”, “vape pens”, “tank systems”, and “electronic nicotine delivery systems.” Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks and other everyday items.
E-cigarettes heat a liquid to produce an aerosol that usually contains nicotine (the addictive drug in tobacco products), flavorings, and other chemicals. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air. E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.
So now we know what they are, how are they being used? A recent CDC study found that many adults are using e-cigarettes to stop smoking, but the FDA does not approve of e-cigarettes as a quit smoking aid. Why? If E-cigarettes were used to replace tobacco products, there may be a value as the consequences of tobacco products are more severe. But studies show people do not stop using tobacco, and long-term usage of E-cigarettes has its own dangers. According to Brian King at the CDC, “Everyone, including older adults, should refrain from using all E-cigarettes and vape products.”
We don’t have enough long-term statistics to define the dangers of E-cigarettes, but we do know there are reports of severe breathing problems and deaths. Research is still being done on the particles that the additives leave in our system. “Anyone who vapes puts their lungs at risk,” says pathologist Maxwell Smith, coauthor of a recent Mayo Clinic study of lung damage.
Bottom line; smoking tobacco products and vaping can lower your immunity to respiratory infections. With the Coronavirus in our midst, attacking our lungs, do we want to lessen our ability to fight off infection?
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you don’t vape, don’t start. If you use either, stop. We care about you and your loved ones. Education should be shared. Please share!
Evelyn Wilson, Member, Drug Awareness Program
Red Ribbon Week at Millcreek High School - 2019
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