After the death of an adult in Illinois officials are warning the public about the dangers of vaping. In recent months 22 states have reported 193 “vaping-related” respiratory illnesses. The C.D.C. respectfully withheld information about the patient who passed away but Robert R. Redfield, Director of the C.D.C, released a statement saying: “This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks associated with e-cigarette products. Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms – including flavorings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents. CDC has been warning about the identified and potential dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping since these devices first appeared. E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.”
It’s important to point out the end of that sentence “…who do not currently use tobacco products” because, for some smokers, vaping can be a successful tool for cessation. It is in no one’s best interest to promote the inhalation of toxic or addictive chemicals, this distinction has only been made to not criticize or dishearten smokers who are attempting to quit via e-cigarette.
According to the C.D.C, in 2016, roughly 20 percent of adults were smokers, which is an all-time low for the nation. With education around the risk of smoking as well as the long-term effort to end Big Tobacco targeting children, in time, smoking-related illness could become a chapter in history books. Let’s not replace it with one on vaping-related illness.
Visit Smokefree.gov, Quitvaping.org, or Makesmokinghistory.org for information and support. No judgment, we just want you alive and rocking for a long, long time.
