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The Real Cost: Vaping, Juuling & E-cigarettes

Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with Vaping

Posted October 4, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of lung injury associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products.

For more information, check out the CDC site.

What's In My Juul?

E-cigarettes or Juuls are electronic devices that use a battery to aerosolize a liquid, usually containing nicotine, flavoring, and other additives, which is inhaled.  (They can also be used to deliver marijuana and other substances).

 

Nicotine is a common ingredient – and highly addictive.  E-cigs may not be labeled to accurately show their ingredients (the FDA is working on this), so you may be getting more nicotine than you think.

Consider this:

  • A Juul pod contains 59 mg of nicotine per ml (0.7 ml volume) = 200 puffs
  • A pack of cigarettes contains 8 – 20 mg of nicotine = 200 puffs
  • Juuls have about 2.5 times as much nicotine as high-nicotine cigarettes

I’ve heard that e-cigarettes are safe?

Here are some of the known ingredients of E-cigarettes:

  • Formaldehyde
  • Diacetyl (linked to “popcorn lung” or bronchiolitis obliterans)
  • Heavy metals (including nickel, tin, chromium and lead)
  • Volatile organic compounds
  • Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deeply in the lungs

Many of these chemicals and heavy metals are known to cause lung disease and have been linked to cancer.

I thought e-cigarettes were used to help people quit smoking?

The evidence isn’t clear on whether e-cigarettes help people quite smoking regular cigarettes, but we already know that e-cig use is a health risk for young people.  Studies report that young adults who smoke e-cigs are more likely to become life-long smokers due to the addictive properties of nicotine.

What are the other risks?

The brain continues to develop through the late 20s.  Nicotine use during this time can disrupt the formation of brain circuits that control attention, learning and susceptibility to addiction.  Nicotine use in young adults is linked to mood disorders and permanent lowering of impulse control.

I have a friend who might need to quit – what can they do?

There are lots of options to support quitting here on campus:

  • Meet with a provider at Dick’s House PCPM
  • Schedule for a Wellness Consultation at Dick’s House
  • Speak with a nurse about options
  • Call 603-646-9400 to access any of these resources

Where can I get more information about vaping?

Check out the ConsumerNotice.org website for more information and resources.