They are called ENDS and they sometimes END young lives. What can you do to stop this e-cigarette epidemic?
You may know e-cigarettes as vapes, e-hookahs, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or vape pens that deliver flavored oils, nicotine, and other harmful ingredients. They can look just like regular cigarettes or cigars, but also come in more inconspicuous forms such as pens, highlighters, USB flash drives, and even credit cards.
Of all these names, a very apt name would be ENDS.
Yes, pun intended because that is what Roswell Pediatrician, Michael Nwaneri, MD thinks of these “….new weapons of mass youth destruction. They end the lives and dreams of the young and brightest”.
Though it has not been recommended, e-cigarettes were initially marketed with claims that they helped adult smokers wean off tobacco and quit cigarettes.
The marketing was intense, and continues to be. The advertisements continue to make these dangerous health hazards seem harmless for young people. In addition, the idea of different flavors makes them much more appealing to youth.
Unfortunately, they are not safe for children, adolescents, and the young adult population. I wonder if they are indeed safe for anyone. The rise of use in this population is cause for concern because your child may not understand how dangerous and addictive e-cigarettes are for their health.
E-cigarettes have become the most used tobacco product by youth in the United States since 2014, with 7 out of 10 middle school and high school students reporting to have used them at least once in the preceding year.
Shockingly, more recent data from the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey showed a 78% increased use among high school students and a 48% increase among middle school students from 2017 to 2018.
The US Surgeon General has declared this an epidemic. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is highly addictive and harmful to brain function. This is especially important in our youth population because the human brain continues to develop until about 25 years of age. The potential areas that can be affected include the child’s memory, learning, as well as attention span. Additionally, this significant exposure to nicotine as an adolescent has been shown to lead to continued tobacco use through young adult and adulthood, including regular cigarette use in the future.
Reported cases of otherwise healthy teens and young adults are emerging in hospitals across the nation. The CDC reports there have been at least 10 deaths and over 450 cases of severe acute lung illnesses associated with e-cigarettes. Many teens have ended up on ventilators and in comas for days to weeks. Almost all of these patients reported they had no idea e-cigarettes could be so dangerous.
In view of this huge epidemic threat to our youth, what can parents, teachers, and clinicians do?
- Talk to them and have open communication with children about E cigarettes.
- Speak to them about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes on their health, brain function, and quality of life.
- Be a role model for them and avoid the use of e-cigarettes.
- Make your home tobacco-free and ensure your child’s school is tobacco-free.
- Share the facts and patient cases of this harmful epidemic with teenagers and young adults.
- Avoid criticism to encourage open communication. They are more likely to listen when we use this approach.
- Starting the conversation is a matter of changing their life.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). E-Cigarettes: Talk to Youth About the Risks | Smoking & Tobacco Use Features | CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/features/back-to-school/e-cigarettes-talk-to-youth-about-risks/index.html
Food and Drug Administration. (2019, May 29). Youth Tobacco Use: 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey Results. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/youth-tobacco-use-results-national-youth-tobacco-survey
Moreno, M. A. (2017). What Parents Need to Know About Electronic Cigarettes. JAMA Pediatrics, 171(12), 1236. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.3802
Singh, T., Arrazola, R. A., Corey, C. G., Husten, C. G., Neff, L. J., Homa, D. M., & King, B. A. (2016). Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65(14), 361–367. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6514a1
{The author(Jigna Patel, RD RN, BSN) is an FNP Student rotating through Omega Pediatrics}
How do you protect your loved one from the health hazards of e cigarettes?
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