Selected Podcast
Don't Be a Guinea Pig: What We Do Know About Vaping
Cassandra LeBlanc, MS explains the extreme dangers with vaping, the difference between vaping and smoking cigarettes, the side effects of vaping including pulmonary illness, and how to encourage a loved on to quit.
Featured Speaker:
Cassandra Leblanc, MS
Cassandra (Cassie) LeBlanc, MS is a health educator on the tobacco prevention team at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. She is originally from Florida and holds a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Central Florida. Cassandra leads the Business-School Task Force of the Tobacco Free Lancaster County Coalition and brings a fresh new perspective to tobacco control activities. Transcription:
Don't Be a Guinea Pig: What We Do Know About Vaping
Melanie Cole (Host): As cigarette smoking seems to be on the decline; another method of nicotine use has managed to hook today’s youth. Joining me today is Cassandra Leblanc. She’s a Public Health Educator in the Tobacco Prevention Program at the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department. Cassandra, I’m so glad to have you join us today. We’re talking about vaping. Is vaping really harmless? Tell us exactly what it is.
Cassandra Leblanc, MS (Guest): Vaping is really like a slang term for the use of an electronic cigarette and you know the electronic cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. They have a battery that produces an aerosol. So, when a lot of people hear the term vaping, they think it’s harmless because when you hear vaping; you associate that with water vapor or something of that nature. But that’s definitely not the case because what does come out of an electronic cigarette isn’t water vapor, it’s an aerosol.
So, when we talk about that aerosol now; that’s made up of many different things. There’s nicotine in there which is detrimental to the developing brain. There’s ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. And then there’s flavorings in there such as diacetyl which is linked to serious lung disease. The thing about that is you’re going to hear me say can a lot when we talk today and the thing about that is it’s because there are so many different brands when someone is using an electronic cigarette. There are so many different types and manufacturers and they are not being regulated the way the cigarettes are being regulated. So, they can vary in so many ways. It’s not known what’s in every single vapor product on the market.
Host: Well I’m glad you discussed regulations. So, can teens under the age of 18 legally vape and buy these products? What are some of these products we’re talking about?
Cassandra: Teens actually under the age of 18 are not legally allowed to purchase these products, the same way that they are not allowed to purchase traditional products and interesting thing for the state of Nebraska is as of January 1st, 2020; that legal age actually is going to 19 years old. So, anyone under the age of 19 cannot purchase traditional cigarettes and they cannot purchase electronic cigarettes.
Host: Well that’s really good to know and at the beginning, Cassandra, people were thinking vaping is going to better for you than smoking cigarettes. Is that true? Is it a better option than smoking? And can it help quit for maybe adults that are looking for a way to quit?
Cassandra: Yeah, that’s a great question. So, I want to make sure that it’s known that the key difference between traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes and those vaping related products; is that the E-cigarettes do not burn or contain tobacco. And the traditional cigarette smoke has a mix of 7000 deadly chemicals that are proven harmful. So, while it is extremely difficult to find something that as harmful as a regular cigarette; electronic cigarettes do have some of those chemicals so just because technically they have less which someone may say makes them safer; it does make them safe.
And I want to also make it known that for the long term adult cigarette smoker and they completely switch to vaping; that could be a slight benefit and potentially a risk reduction behavior. But that’s only if they are a complete substitute for regular cigarettes. A lot of times, people are using both of them at the same time. They are not safe for use for young adults, for pregnant women or adults who don’t use tobacco products. Now as far as them being used as a cessation device or for quitting; electronic cigarettes are not FDA approved cessation devices such as the gum, the lozenge or the patch or things of that nature. They are not approved as something to help someone quit using cigarettes. They do have nicotine in them themselves and therefore can keep someone hooked on nicotine.
Host: Well thank you for that answer and for clarifying that for the listeners. There’s a lot of talk about pulmonary illness and even people dying. Tell us what’s going on with that. Do we know what the long term effects are? How these effects can be treated? What are you learning about how these products are affecting a child’s lungs?
Cassandra: So, the pulmonary illness has been given a name by the CDC and it’s EVALI which stands for electronic cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury. So, let’s talk about that a little bit. These numbers are updated on a weekly basis. So, as of December 17, 2019; there have been 2,506 hospitalized cases from all 50 states and there have been 54 deaths in 27 states and the District of Columbia. So, it’s interesting that you did mention youth because again, I mentioned earlier that these are not safe for youth to use and vaping could potentially be a risk reduction behavior for someone that has used let’s say a cigarette long term. Interesting statistics from this lung injury outbreak is that 78 percent of the cases are under the age of 35 years old. And 38 percent are between the ages of 18 to 24 years old, 16 percent being under the age of 18. So, 16 percent of the cases are under the age that is legal to currently buy these products.
And another thing to note is that from the samples tested by the CDC; vitamin E acetate was identified as a chemical of concern; THC was present in most of the samples and nicotine was present in 62 percent of those samples. And so because there are so many different substances, product sources and chemicals that are being watched while this investigation is happening; the CDC recommends that people refrain from using electronic cigarettes and vaping products.
Host: Well it certainly is really good advice and such an interesting topic. Cassandra, what can communities do as you are with the county health department; what do you want communities to know to reduce youth E-cigarette use? Tell us a little bit about some advice for parents about how they can talk to their children about this, what the communities and the schools can do, how we can all be more informed.
Cassandra: That is a great question. And actually the Surgeon General published a great report about this very topic. We believe that everyone has a role in the community in stopping the youth use and initiation of electronic cigarettes. Whether it’s teachers at school and the professionals that are working in schools including in curriculum; whether that’s a healthcare provider asking if their patients use electronic cigarettes and talking to them about what’s currently happening right now. Whether that’s a parent talking to their child about electronic cigarettes and just making sure that they are aware and so in that Surgeon General report; they mentioned all the ways that people can talk to youth about it and in the specific report it’s called Talk With Your Teen About Electronic Cigarettes. It’s a tip sheet for parents. And that’s located on the Surgeon General’s electronic cigarette website. There’s another option that was published by the Partnership for Drug Free Kids and that topic, it also discusses electronic cigarette use and it’s called What You Need to Know and How You Talk to Your Kids About Vaping.
Another thing when we’re talking about quitting is there is the quit line for those that are using electronic cigarettes and so there’s a Nebraska Tobacco Quit Line. The phone number is 1-800-QUITNOW. The thing about that is you have to be 16 years old to use that service and it is great because if you are over the age of 18 and you call; there’s an opportunity to receive two weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy and that can include the gum, lozenges, or the patch. But for those youth that are under the age of 16 that are using electronic cigarettes; there’s a text based service that you text DITCHJUUL, D-I-T-C-H-J-U-U-L to 88709 and they can receive age appropriate counseling that way.
Host: What an excellent service. Thank you for telling us about those. How do parents know that their kids are vaping because it doesn’t really smell. You can tell when a kid comes in if they smell or in their room, and they are using these vaping products to also vape marijuana and other drugs. So, how can you tell? Is there a way for a parent to tell?
Cassandra: Yeah, my best advice for parents would be to do your research. A lot of these products right now are looking like everyday items whether it’s the devices that look like flash drives, whether it’s ones that look like a pen. The smell may not be as intrusive as someone may say a cigarette is, but there is still that fruity smell and I know that oftentimes, especially when we are talking about young people and youth, maybe they are using some body sprays and perfumes but a parent should know what’s coming in and out of their houses and if it’s a smell that they don’t recognize; I would say ask your child and just be aware of what these products can look like and talk to them about that.
Host: That’s great advice. As we wrap up, what would you like parents to know about the dangers of vaping and how to discuss the outbreak with their families, with their youth because it really is all about communication and explaining these things to your children. So, what do you want them to know? Give us your best advice Cassandra.
Cassandra: My best advice is to have that conversation. There’s been many initiatives over the years that have made cigarette smoking not as prominent in youth and now electronic cigarettes came out and are attracting youth and making it an issue. Have that conversation. Let them know that those that are using electronic cigarettes right now are truly the guinea pigs and there are so many risks associated with being the guinea pig. In ten years, fifteen years; when the CDC is doing these investigations with other people are studying the effects of electronic cigarettes, we do not want our youth and our children today to be that guinea pig because we don’t know what this is going to look like in ten years and what these long effects are going to be. And the best advice that I have is to talk to your kids. Make sure that they know that those that are using these are the testers right now and they don’t want to be that. And just to you know be careful and not give into peer pressure and just have those important conversations.
Host: What great advice Cassandra. And what a great point about being the testers, being the guinea pigs and none of us want our children to do that and I’m sure that if the youth heard what you said they wouldn’t want to either. Thank you so much for joining us and telling us all about this very important topic. That concludes this episode of Bryan Health Podcast. Please visit our website at www.bryanhealth.org for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other Bryan Health podcasts. If you found this podcast as informative as I did; please share. Share with your friends and family. Share on social media. And be sure not to miss all the other interesting podcasts in our library. I’m Melanie Cole.
Don't Be a Guinea Pig: What We Do Know About Vaping
Melanie Cole (Host): As cigarette smoking seems to be on the decline; another method of nicotine use has managed to hook today’s youth. Joining me today is Cassandra Leblanc. She’s a Public Health Educator in the Tobacco Prevention Program at the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department. Cassandra, I’m so glad to have you join us today. We’re talking about vaping. Is vaping really harmless? Tell us exactly what it is.
Cassandra Leblanc, MS (Guest): Vaping is really like a slang term for the use of an electronic cigarette and you know the electronic cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. They have a battery that produces an aerosol. So, when a lot of people hear the term vaping, they think it’s harmless because when you hear vaping; you associate that with water vapor or something of that nature. But that’s definitely not the case because what does come out of an electronic cigarette isn’t water vapor, it’s an aerosol.
So, when we talk about that aerosol now; that’s made up of many different things. There’s nicotine in there which is detrimental to the developing brain. There’s ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. And then there’s flavorings in there such as diacetyl which is linked to serious lung disease. The thing about that is you’re going to hear me say can a lot when we talk today and the thing about that is it’s because there are so many different brands when someone is using an electronic cigarette. There are so many different types and manufacturers and they are not being regulated the way the cigarettes are being regulated. So, they can vary in so many ways. It’s not known what’s in every single vapor product on the market.
Host: Well I’m glad you discussed regulations. So, can teens under the age of 18 legally vape and buy these products? What are some of these products we’re talking about?
Cassandra: Teens actually under the age of 18 are not legally allowed to purchase these products, the same way that they are not allowed to purchase traditional products and interesting thing for the state of Nebraska is as of January 1st, 2020; that legal age actually is going to 19 years old. So, anyone under the age of 19 cannot purchase traditional cigarettes and they cannot purchase electronic cigarettes.
Host: Well that’s really good to know and at the beginning, Cassandra, people were thinking vaping is going to better for you than smoking cigarettes. Is that true? Is it a better option than smoking? And can it help quit for maybe adults that are looking for a way to quit?
Cassandra: Yeah, that’s a great question. So, I want to make sure that it’s known that the key difference between traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes and those vaping related products; is that the E-cigarettes do not burn or contain tobacco. And the traditional cigarette smoke has a mix of 7000 deadly chemicals that are proven harmful. So, while it is extremely difficult to find something that as harmful as a regular cigarette; electronic cigarettes do have some of those chemicals so just because technically they have less which someone may say makes them safer; it does make them safe.
And I want to also make it known that for the long term adult cigarette smoker and they completely switch to vaping; that could be a slight benefit and potentially a risk reduction behavior. But that’s only if they are a complete substitute for regular cigarettes. A lot of times, people are using both of them at the same time. They are not safe for use for young adults, for pregnant women or adults who don’t use tobacco products. Now as far as them being used as a cessation device or for quitting; electronic cigarettes are not FDA approved cessation devices such as the gum, the lozenge or the patch or things of that nature. They are not approved as something to help someone quit using cigarettes. They do have nicotine in them themselves and therefore can keep someone hooked on nicotine.
Host: Well thank you for that answer and for clarifying that for the listeners. There’s a lot of talk about pulmonary illness and even people dying. Tell us what’s going on with that. Do we know what the long term effects are? How these effects can be treated? What are you learning about how these products are affecting a child’s lungs?
Cassandra: So, the pulmonary illness has been given a name by the CDC and it’s EVALI which stands for electronic cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury. So, let’s talk about that a little bit. These numbers are updated on a weekly basis. So, as of December 17, 2019; there have been 2,506 hospitalized cases from all 50 states and there have been 54 deaths in 27 states and the District of Columbia. So, it’s interesting that you did mention youth because again, I mentioned earlier that these are not safe for youth to use and vaping could potentially be a risk reduction behavior for someone that has used let’s say a cigarette long term. Interesting statistics from this lung injury outbreak is that 78 percent of the cases are under the age of 35 years old. And 38 percent are between the ages of 18 to 24 years old, 16 percent being under the age of 18. So, 16 percent of the cases are under the age that is legal to currently buy these products.
And another thing to note is that from the samples tested by the CDC; vitamin E acetate was identified as a chemical of concern; THC was present in most of the samples and nicotine was present in 62 percent of those samples. And so because there are so many different substances, product sources and chemicals that are being watched while this investigation is happening; the CDC recommends that people refrain from using electronic cigarettes and vaping products.
Host: Well it certainly is really good advice and such an interesting topic. Cassandra, what can communities do as you are with the county health department; what do you want communities to know to reduce youth E-cigarette use? Tell us a little bit about some advice for parents about how they can talk to their children about this, what the communities and the schools can do, how we can all be more informed.
Cassandra: That is a great question. And actually the Surgeon General published a great report about this very topic. We believe that everyone has a role in the community in stopping the youth use and initiation of electronic cigarettes. Whether it’s teachers at school and the professionals that are working in schools including in curriculum; whether that’s a healthcare provider asking if their patients use electronic cigarettes and talking to them about what’s currently happening right now. Whether that’s a parent talking to their child about electronic cigarettes and just making sure that they are aware and so in that Surgeon General report; they mentioned all the ways that people can talk to youth about it and in the specific report it’s called Talk With Your Teen About Electronic Cigarettes. It’s a tip sheet for parents. And that’s located on the Surgeon General’s electronic cigarette website. There’s another option that was published by the Partnership for Drug Free Kids and that topic, it also discusses electronic cigarette use and it’s called What You Need to Know and How You Talk to Your Kids About Vaping.
Another thing when we’re talking about quitting is there is the quit line for those that are using electronic cigarettes and so there’s a Nebraska Tobacco Quit Line. The phone number is 1-800-QUITNOW. The thing about that is you have to be 16 years old to use that service and it is great because if you are over the age of 18 and you call; there’s an opportunity to receive two weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy and that can include the gum, lozenges, or the patch. But for those youth that are under the age of 16 that are using electronic cigarettes; there’s a text based service that you text DITCHJUUL, D-I-T-C-H-J-U-U-L to 88709 and they can receive age appropriate counseling that way.
Host: What an excellent service. Thank you for telling us about those. How do parents know that their kids are vaping because it doesn’t really smell. You can tell when a kid comes in if they smell or in their room, and they are using these vaping products to also vape marijuana and other drugs. So, how can you tell? Is there a way for a parent to tell?
Cassandra: Yeah, my best advice for parents would be to do your research. A lot of these products right now are looking like everyday items whether it’s the devices that look like flash drives, whether it’s ones that look like a pen. The smell may not be as intrusive as someone may say a cigarette is, but there is still that fruity smell and I know that oftentimes, especially when we are talking about young people and youth, maybe they are using some body sprays and perfumes but a parent should know what’s coming in and out of their houses and if it’s a smell that they don’t recognize; I would say ask your child and just be aware of what these products can look like and talk to them about that.
Host: That’s great advice. As we wrap up, what would you like parents to know about the dangers of vaping and how to discuss the outbreak with their families, with their youth because it really is all about communication and explaining these things to your children. So, what do you want them to know? Give us your best advice Cassandra.
Cassandra: My best advice is to have that conversation. There’s been many initiatives over the years that have made cigarette smoking not as prominent in youth and now electronic cigarettes came out and are attracting youth and making it an issue. Have that conversation. Let them know that those that are using electronic cigarettes right now are truly the guinea pigs and there are so many risks associated with being the guinea pig. In ten years, fifteen years; when the CDC is doing these investigations with other people are studying the effects of electronic cigarettes, we do not want our youth and our children today to be that guinea pig because we don’t know what this is going to look like in ten years and what these long effects are going to be. And the best advice that I have is to talk to your kids. Make sure that they know that those that are using these are the testers right now and they don’t want to be that. And just to you know be careful and not give into peer pressure and just have those important conversations.
Host: What great advice Cassandra. And what a great point about being the testers, being the guinea pigs and none of us want our children to do that and I’m sure that if the youth heard what you said they wouldn’t want to either. Thank you so much for joining us and telling us all about this very important topic. That concludes this episode of Bryan Health Podcast. Please visit our website at www.bryanhealth.org for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other Bryan Health podcasts. If you found this podcast as informative as I did; please share. Share with your friends and family. Share on social media. And be sure not to miss all the other interesting podcasts in our library. I’m Melanie Cole.