Vaping and Health Consequences in Minors
Over two million middle and high school students were e-cigarette users in 2017. In the largest coordinated enforcement effort in FDA history, 1,300 warning letters and fines were recently sent to electronic cigarette retailers for illegal sales of vaping devices to minors. The vast majority of the violations were for the illegal sale of five products – Vuse, Blu, JUUL, MarkTen XL and Logic
which make up 97 percent of the United States market for e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes heat a chemical-packed liquid that typically contains nicotine and often a flavoring agent, creating an aerosol. By delivering nicotine without tar and other by-products of combustion, e-cigarettes purportedly give smokers a healthier alter- native to cigarettes while still satisfying cravings. This past January, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released an FDA-commissioned report on the potential public health con- sequences of e-cigarettes. The report found evidence that users completely switching from smoking cigarettes to e-cigarettes re- duce their exposure to numerous toxicants and cancer-causing carcinogens. However, the report also found that youth and young adults who use e-cigarettes are more likely to try smoking cigarettes, indicating that e-cigarette usage is a “gateway” to combus- tible cigarette smoking.
Statins are medications, as Lipitor, which are taken to reduce your cholesterol and lower your risk of heart problems. Italian researchers assessed individuals with COPD and cardiovascular disease to examine the relationship between taking statin therapy and the risk of flareups of their lung disease. As reported in the journal, Drugs Aging, evidence revealed markedly reduced risk of COPD exacerbations that correlated to taking the statin drugs. The researchers hope to have more clinical trials to examine the benefits of taking statins for people with COPD.