By Vibha Sastry
Here are some important facts to know from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about e-cigarettes and vaping products.
As of November 2019, 2,290 cases of e-cigarette and vaping associated lung injury have been reported to the CDC, forty-seven of which were fatal. The CDC has identified vitamin E-acetate, an additive in e-cigarettes, as the chemical of concern among people with lung injury caused by e-cigarette use or vaping. CDC recommends that people should not use THC-containing e-cigarettes or vaping products, especially from informal sources like friends or in-person/online dealers.
It is crucial to note that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug, though some labels will not disclose this information. Nicotine harms parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Young people that use nicotine are prone to future addiction to other drugs.
E-cigarettes do not contain harmless water vapor. The aerosol which e-cigarettes produce can contain ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, flavorings such as diacetyl(a chemical linked to serious lung disease), volatile organic compounds, cancer-causing chemicals, and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead. E-cigarette users inhaling this aerosol expose themselves and bystanders to these harmful substances. Scientists are still working to find out exactly what harmful chemicals are in e-cigarettes.
The dangers of e-cigarettes are still being explored. So far, there have been cases of defective e-cigarettes that explode or malfunction, causing serious injuries. There have been cases of adults and children being poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.
