Latest news with #ecigarettes
CBS News
4 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Teens who vape have higher rates of depression and anxiety, new research says
Wrapped in fruity flavors and sleek designs, e-cigarettes have been drawing in young people for years and new research finds teenagers who vape have higher rates of depression and anxiety. "It's small, it's portable, it's got tons of flavors," said Lyn Powell, a vaper in Boston. "Almost everybody I know got a vape — or if they don't have a vape, they're trying to hit somebody's vape." Walking in the Fenway area Friday afternoon, he told WBZ-TV it's the convenience that keeps him vaping. "You don't gotta light nothing, there's no smell. You can do it in the bathroom, in buildings, it's just more convenient," said Powell. But Brian King, Executive Vice President at Tobacco-Free Kids, said flavors are what hook young users. "The advertising will lead a horse to water, the flavors will get them to drink — and the nicotine keeps them coming back for more," King said. According to FDA data, more than 1.6 million kids still use e-cigarettes, and nearly 90% of them use a flavored product. "[It declined] from about over 5 million kids in 2019, down to about 1.6 million kids," King said. "But bad news is we've still got more work to do." Unlike traditional cigarettes — "Where many times, some of the more serious risks can be decades away like lung cancer," explained Dr. Alexia Arauz Boudreau, a primary care pediatrician at Massachusetts General Hospital, she said vaping can affect health immediately. "It actively changes your brain chemistry. Teens or anybody who uses are at risk about getting chemical lung burns." To curb access, in 2020, Massachusetts made history banning retail stores from selling flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars, and flavored e-cigarettes. However, Powell says it is still possible to get them. "A lot of stores sell them under the table," he said. "And the police really don't care." On Friday afternoon, WBZ-TV reporter Samantha Chaney bought a strawberry ice flavored vape from a convenience store in Boston-- they didn't even ask her for ID. King said there's no single fix to this issue — but a united front can make a difference. "Ultimately, it's going to be that coordinated approach that's going to work," he said. "And it's a good reminder that we have to redouble our efforts."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body
SINGAPORE - Vapes, e-cigarettes, dab pens, pod-mods, and vaporisers – whatever they are called, an increasing number of younger people think they are cool, easy to use undetected, and safer than cigarettes. But experts warn that vaping is a silent killer, its seemingly less harsh candy, dessert and fruit flavours hiding its ability to cause harm without immediate, obvious symptoms. In fact, the vaping device, which looks like a pen or a lighter, is more harmful than cigarettes, said Dr Puah Ser Hon, who heads the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. 'The vape device is more harmful than a stick of cigarette. There is an end point with a cigarette when it burns out. The device is run on battery, allowing the user to continuously vape until the battery runs out,' said Dr Puah, who is also the chair of the Smoking Cessation Workgroup at NHG Health. He told The Straits Times that the liquid in the e-cigarette device has various chemicals that are not restricted or checked at all. Vape devices were previously marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, driving people to vape and exposing them to various harmful chemicals that lead to lung damage, nicotine addiction, and other health problems. The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that apart from nicotine - which is highly addictive and particularly dangerous to youth because their brains are still developing - aerosol from e-cigarettes can contain harmful substances including cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into lungs. According to the American Lung Association, the dangerous chemicals produced include acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde, which can cause lung and heart disease; and acrolein, a herbicide used to kill weeds, which can cause acute lung injury and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and may cause asthma and lung cancer. In addition, experts have warned about the risks of inhaling secondhand e-cigarette emissions, because bystanders may breathe in substances such as nicotine and toxic chemicals within the vapour. To make things worse, the use of vapes and e-cigarettes is a brewing global crisis – crime syndicates are packing potent and addictive substances into the devices, such as etomidate, an anaesthetic, and more youth are getting hooked on drugs. In Singapore, where vaping is illegal, there has been a rise in related offences – there were roughly 8,000 cases of e-cigarette use in 2023, a 43 per cent jump from the 5,600 similar offences recorded in 2022. The Government has announced it was enhancing current enforcement laws, following a spike in seizures of drug-laced e-vaporisers. Dr Puah said some people have reported an asthma-like attack shortly after vaping, where the airways get constricted and they feel breathless. In some instances, users suffered E-cigarette or Vaping product Use-associated Lung Injury (Evali). 'They can come in with severe respiratory failure where the oxygen levels are super low and they need to go into the intensive care unit. (As) they need help with breathing... we have to attach them to a mechanical (ventilator) that pumps oxygen and help them breathe,' Dr Puah said. 'There are people who do not survive this. Some who survived may live on with scars in the lungs and they end up having permanent symptoms like cough and breathlessness,' he added. Washing out popcorn lungs Another health problem related to vaping is pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, or popcorn lungs, a rare disease in which protein and fatty material build up in the air sacs of the lungs, making breathing difficult. Renovation site supervisor Muhammad Dandiar Rosli, 34, who suffered from the condition had to undergo lung washing, not once but twice – in 2020 and then again in 2021. The procedure, called whole lung lavage, is the primary treatment for popcorn lungs. Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is the only hospital in Singapore that performs it. Carried out in the operating theatre, and performed on one lung at a time while the patient is under anaesthesia, whole lung washing uses warm sterile saline to wash away abnormal build-up of protein from the lung. The patient has a double lumen tube inserted through the mouth and into the windpipe to isolate the left and right lungs from each other. A large volume of saline is infused sequentially into one lung while the patient is ventilated through the other, and the saline is drained out through a bronchoscope until the liquid extracted turns from milky to almost clear. The whole process takes three to four hours, after which the patient is returned to the intensive care unit and the procedure is repeated for the other lung after one to two weeks. Because vaping is still very new, so there is still a lot to learn about the long term health effects. Add drugs into the chemical cocktail, and the health risks increase exponentially. Teens who vape more likely to have poor mental health On Feb 26, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a written parliamentary reply that there were 2,000 cases of students, including those from institutes of higher learning, reported for possessing or using e-vaporisers in 2024. This is up from 800 cases in 2022, and 900 cases in 2023. The problem is exacerbated by easy access to a vaping fix – vapes are cheaper than cigarettes and can be found on messaging groups, according to users and parents in previous ST reports. Many users would scan through a series of Telegram groups to pick a seller based on price and a 'delivery man' would be meet them with an e-vaporiser laced with etomidate within two hours. Some youth turn to vaping as a coping mechanism for stress and other negative emotions, perhaps unaware that it could be harm them more than it harms adults. Exposure to potent psychoactive substances such as etomidate or ketamine through vaping hampers the adolescent brain from developing normally, said Dr Elaine Chew Chu Shan, head of the Adolescent Medicine Service at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital. 'The adolescent brain is still undergoing critical development, particularly in areas like the prefrontal cortex that governs impulse control, decision-making, and emotional regulation, and is particularly vulnerable to the exposure to drugs,' she said, adding that it can have 'long-term changes in brain structure and function'. Another doctor explained that 'youths also metabolise drugs differently than adults, which may lead to unpredictable side effects'. 'Sedatives such as etomidate can potentially affect memory, cognition or emotional regulation,' said Dr Clare Anne Fong, a consultant with the Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in the Department of Medicine at National University Hospital (NUH) and Alexandra Hospital. Dr Chee Tji Tjian, a senior consultant with NUH's Department of Psychological Medicine, explains how two chemicals in vaping liquids impact users. 'Nicotine mimics natural neurotransmitters and alters neuron communication, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making and self-control,' he said. Etomidate poses additional risks by suppressing brain activity, and 'potentially causing long-term neurotoxic effects, including increased vulnerability to emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and depression, though research remains limited', Dr Chee added. With both substances disrupting the dopamine system, which is a network of nerve cells in the brain that use dopamine to communicate, they raise the risk of addiction and persistent behavioural problems. Dr Chee said while some ill effects of vaping may improve with early cessation, changes to brain function, especially with repeated exposure, can persist into adulthood, raising the possibility of long-term neurodevelopmental harm. Psychiatrist Adrian Wang, who runs his own clinic at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said it is hard to predict who may be vulnerable to such side effects. 'Teenagers with a history of anxiety, depression or past trauma are vulnerable and those with low self-esteem, or impulsive behaviour are also at risk. They may succumb to peer pressure and try these devices out of curiosity, wrongly assuming that they are safe,' he said. '(Drugs such as) etomidate, ketamine and fentanyl can cause loss of consciousness, hallucinations and seizures. Intoxication can be rapid and lead to abnormal behaviour in users before they realise what is happening. It gets them into 'zombie-like' states,' Dr Wang added. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Bloomberg
Squeaky-Clean Singapore Steps Up Crackdown on Vapes
Hi, it's Audrey in Singapore, which has some of the world's strictest drug laws — and where vapes are coming under closer scrutiny. But first… Vapes are already banned in Singapore. But you can still walk around sometimes and see locals casually flouting the rules, puffing on their devices — also known as e-cigarettes — at restaurants or outside on their lunch hours in the central business district.
Wall Street Journal
17-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
FDA Authorizes Juul E-Cigarettes
Juul Labs has won authorization from federal regulars for its e-cigarettes to remain on the U.S. market, according to people familiar with the matter. The decision breathes new life into the vaping company after a federal ban in 2022 pushed it to the brink of bankruptcy. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Juul's original vaporizer, along with refill cartridges in tobacco and menthol flavors, the people familiar with the matter said.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Vape ban explained: All your questions answered as single-use disposable e-cigarettes become illegal today
Disposable vapes will banned across the UK on Sunday in a government crackdown on e-cigarettes. From June 1, it will be illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, in shops and online. Only devices considered reusable - with a rechargeable battery and replaceable coil - will be allowed. The law is aimed at protecting the environment and tackling a surge in youth vaping rates, which have soared from 0.8 per cent in 2013 to 7.2 per cent last year. Disposable vapes, known for their variety of flavours and brightly coloured packaging, have become increasingly popular among teenagers. Moreover, an estimated 5million single use vapes, which are available to buy at pocket money prices, are thrown away in the UK every week. How is the law changing? The new law which comes into effect on Sunday will ban businesses from selling or supplying disposable vapes. Retailers in England who are caught breaking the law face a minimum £200 penalty or a two-year-prison sentence for repeat offenders. Any single-use e-cigarettes that are found on sale, will be seized by Trading Standards. Rechargeable vapes that are refillable and have a battery and replaceable coil will remain on the market. It will not be illegal to own or be in possession of a single-use vape - with reports that millions of Brits have stockpiled the devices in preparation for the ban. MailOnline revealed this month that nearly 40 per cent of vapers have enough disposable e-cigarettes to last three months. All ages showed interest in stockpiling but it was 45-54-year-olds who led the way, with almost 90 per cent saying they were putting together a collection in preparation. Will vapes be taxed more? Vapes are not currently subject to an additional tax like tobacco products, although 20 per cent VAT is charged. However, a new vaping duty is being introduced by the government on October 1 next year. It will be charged at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml vaping liquid. Vape advertising is also set to be banned as part of the government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament. How many young people vape in the UK? Rishi Sunak initially announced the plans to ban disposable vapes in January last year. The former prime minister was acting on evidence that those taking on the habit across all age groups had ballooned by more than 400 per cent since 2012. Moreover, recent NHS figures showed a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in 10 using e-cigarettes regularly. And the highest rates of disposable vape use are among those aged 18 to 24, a survey of 4,393 British adults previously revealed. Disposable vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, are known for their brightly coloured packaging and wide variety of sweet flavours. The British Medical Association previously warned that flavours such as bubblegum and candy floss could lead to nicotine addictions among children. Why are single-use vapes so bad for the environment? A key reason for the introduction of the ban on disposable vapes is to protect the environment. An estimated 5 million single use vapes, which are available to buy at pocket money prices, are thrown away in the UK every week, according to government figures. Disposable vapes contain lithium-ion batteries and circuit boards which can leak toxic chemicals such as cobalt and copper into the environment. The devices should never be put in regular bins and should be put in dedicated bins so they can be disposed of correctly. MailOnline previously reported that only 17 per cent of people correctly recycle their vapes in a shop or local recycling centre. How are vapes harmful for your health? The NHS has historically recommended vapes to help people quit smoking, which is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in the UK. Around 76,000 people die every year from smoking-related health problems, including heart disease, strokes and cancer. E-cigarettes are far less harmful and can help people quit smoking for good, according to the health service. However, vaping is not risk free. E-cigarettes contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remains a mystery. Some doctors fear a wave of lung disease and even cancer in the coming decades due to vaping. Experts are also concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems. Freedom of Information requests revealed that 24 children in England were hospitalised due to vaping since the start of 2022. These could include lung damage or a worsening of asthma symptoms. Could the ban push vapers back to smoking? A report previously warned that the disposable vapes ban could push 200,000 people back to smoking when it comes into effect. Future Health Research Centre said the move risks undermining progress towards a 'smokefree' Britain if vapers are not supported to maintain their 'quit journey'. Modelling scenarios based on its findings indicate the disposable vapes ban will see between 175,000 and 378,000 people stopping vaping, and between 630,000 and 1.36 million people switching to another vaping product. But the smoking rate could increase by between 90,000 and 200,000, adding 0.2 per cent to 0.4 per cent to the overall population smoking rate. Richard Sloggett, the report's author and a former government advisor, said: 'The Government has committed welcome and strong action to reduce smoking and tackle youth vaping. 'However these findings show that urgent work is needed to ensure that efforts to reduce youth vaping do not have the unintended consequence of increasing the numbers smoking – particularly amongst younger people. 'The ban also feels like being a missed opportunity, with hundreds of thousands of people soon to be looking for alternatives to disposable vapes but over half saying they will simply switch to another product. 'With the ban looming, the Government now needs to get on the front foot, commit to a national mass media anti-smoking campaign and set out more clearly how it will use its forthcoming regulatory powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to help ensure that those using disposable vapes do not turn to smoking instead.'
