To: Eric D. Hargan

From: Toor Noori

Date: 1/19/2018

Re: E-cigarettes A Rising Concern Among Adolescents

 

Statement of Issue:

The popularity of e-cigarette has increased at rapid pace especially among the younger population. Its availability in different shapes and packaging such as pipes, pens, and lipsticks, makes it more appealing to younger consumers. This fairly new mode of nicotine intake has very little research on its potential health hazards and there is no clear evidence that supports its claims of delivering a safer form of nicotine. It is crucial to gain more knowledge of this new product’s ingredients, nicotine levels, and novel method of nicotine delivery before it becomes a bigger health concern. While there is no developed research to support the safety or unsafety of e- cigarettes not much change has been implemented on policies to protect or prevent our younger generations from using the not so well understood product. The statistics show that e-cigarette use quadrupled in a 1-year period and continues to rise. According to the most recent Monitoring the Future report, rates of past 30 day use of e-cigarettes among adolescents were consistently greater than past 30-day use of conventional cigarettes. Vaping has become twice as common as regular cigarette smoking among 8^th and 9^th graders. It is well understood that nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing adolescent brain, and whether that nicotine comes from a regular cigarette or e-cigarette the results will be the same. There is a definite need to take action on this matter for the sake of better health for our younger generations. 

Key Stakeholders:

• Individuals
• Parents, and family members
• Teachers/coaches
• Civic and community leaders,
• Public health and health care professionals
• Researchers
• Federal government
• State, local, tribal, and territorial governments,
• E-cigarette manufacturers, distributors, and retailers

Policy Options:

Option1: Fund Research to better understand what we are dealing with in terms of nicotine, levels, toxins and chemicals involved in e-cigarettes.

Advantages: Research can be used to assess short or long term health effects and consequences of e-cigarette uses. Research can answer questions on level of dependence and associated risk factors of smoking e-cigarettes.

Disadvantages: Since it’s a fairly new product with not much foundation of prior research to build upon it may take years to carry out enough research to answer all of these questions. This can require large amounts of funding, which can be an issue since e-cigarettes are not taxed and will not contribute to the costs required for such research.

Option 2: Fund and implement e-cigarette awareness programs in schools, on social media, and in health facilities. 

Advantages: Research has shown that not many young adults are aware of the consequences of e-cigarettes which could be one of the reasons they have become so popular with this specific population. Spreading awareness amongst the youth about its potential dangers through school outreach programs and health care facilities can change their perception about e-cigarette. Adolescence population spends most of their free time on social media and computers, therefore utilizing social to spread the message can have a huge impact on how they perceive e-cigarettes. Informing parents and family members about the dangers of e-cigarettes at awareness programs at school meetings or during counseling sessions with health providers can better prepare them to enforce strict policies on e-cigarette smoking within their homes.

Disadvantages: E-cigarette sales may decrease due to awareness of the products potential dangers a disadvantage for retailers and manufacturers of e-cigarettes.

Policy Recommendations:

It is important to understand the severity of the issue and tackle it before it becomes too hard to manage. This can be accomplished with better policies that incorporate awareness and regulations on the e-cigarette until more research is done on the product. However, since immediate action is needed to control the rates from rising more than they already have, it is crucial to implement e-cigarette awareness programs in schools, social media, and in health facilities. This can help slow down the growth of e-cigarette use until research becomes available to the public about the harms and benefits of its use. We have already lost many to the hands of tobacco use as it was perceived as a harmless habit for years, we are wiser from experience and should refrain from repeating the same mistake twice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citations:

https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm246129.htm

https://www.atr.org/electronic-cigarettes-should-not-be-taxed-tobacco-products

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515157/

http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/mtf-overview2016.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/e-cigarettes/pdfs/2016_SGR_The_Call-508.pdf

https://www.atr.org/electronic-cigarettes-should-not-be-taxed-tobacco-products

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/e-cigarettes/pdfs/2016_SGR_Chapter_5_non-508.pdf

https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/documents/2016_SGR_Exec_Summ_508.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/e-cigarettes/index.htm

https://www.health.ny.gov/community/programs/population_health_improvement/docs/contact_sheet.pdf

 

 

 

 

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