Effective Smoking Cessation Tool or A New Way for Children to be Introduced to Nicotine?
Why We Need E-Cigarette Health Policy.
Jennifer A. Sibley, RN, BSN
University of Florida
Effective Smoking Cessation Tool or A New Way for Children to be Introduced to Nicotine?
Why We Need E-Cigarette Health Policy.
Background and Significance
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, were invented in 2004 by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik following his father’s death from lung cancer (CASAA, 2012). With the intention of offering a safer alternative to traditional tobacco, e-cigarettes quickly emerged in other markets around the world including Europe in 2006 and the United States (U.S.) by 2007 (TCLC, 2011). The device works via battery to heat liquid nicotine and an atomizer then turns the liquid into a vapor which is inhaled by the user. E-cigarettes, now readily available in convenience stores, mall kiosks and gas stations, come in many forms ranging from disposable cigarette-like devices to pen-like refillable devices with flavors such as bubblegum, chocolate and mint (TCLC, 2011; NIH, 2014). The speed with which e-cigarettes have gained popularity across the U.S. has placed manufacturers, tobacco control lobbyists and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at odds regarding the regulation of sales, marketing and use of the devices (TCLC, 2011).
Relevant Research and Problem Indicators
Big tobacco companies have now jumped on the e-cigarette
Of the roughly 42 million adults in the US that use tobacco, nearly 69% of smokers want to quit and more than 42% of those wishing to quit will make the attempt through various methods(1). These methods range from the "cold turkey" method, nicotine replacement therapy, behavioural therapy and even medicine. Each method has it's unique strengths and weaknesses as well as varying success rates. There are many reasons to quit and many ways in which to do so, either with methods that involve slowly weaning off of nicotine, like gums and patches from replacement therapy, to nicotine-free methods which require support from various sources.
So, it is perfectly rational to call smoking an “addiction” in my policy above. The main topic of 1988 US Surgeon General’s Report was if tobacco was addictive. It stated three main conclusions. First, it said that cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addictive. Second, it stated that the reason they are addictive is because of the nicotine found in them. Thirdly, it stated that this addictiveness is much like heroin or cocaine. Prior to this report and since then there have been other studies and experiments stating the addictiveness of tobacco and the effects of nicotine on the body. It is known that nicotine increases the levels of dopamine in the brain and causes a burst of adrenaline. This burst of adrenaline is pleasurable and is what is known as the “rush” or “kick” from smoking. DeNoble and Mele figured out that rats would rather have nicotine than food and water once they were addicted. Phillip Morris stopped them from publishing their findings in 1983. In 1995, Stoleman and Jarvis did a study on nicotine’s addictiveness and found that there are many different withdrawal symptoms people go through when they are deprived of nicotine. They also found that this withdrawal is only relieved by a nicotine and not a smoking placebo. This again furthers the fact that smoking is addictive. Once a person starts smoking it quickly becomes an
As FDA analysis indicated, e-cigarettes contain the same toxic substances and carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes, which contradicts the statement made by e-cigarette advocates that e-cigarettes are safer. Recently, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that about 47.1 percent of the cigarette and e-cigarette exposure-calls to poison control centers are now due to e-cigarettes (Kucinich, 2014). Therefore, I do not think it is reasonable to promote e-cigarettes to the public as safer alternatives to traditional tobacco cigarettes, let alone smoking cessation aids. Additionally, health experts have repeatedly mentioned that e-cigarettes maybe potential gateway drugs for many individuals, particularly the young. Pepper and colleagues (2013) reported that nearly 1 in 5 adolescent males in their study were willing to try e-cigarettes if offered to them; and being a smoker increased the willingness to try e-cigarettes. As teens are highly inclined to try e-cigarettes, extensive public promotion of e-cigarettes may mislead them into thinking that e-cigarettes are safe to use. The false claim may even spark teenagers’ curiosity and motivate them to try e-cigarettes and other tobacco products haphazardly. It is highly likely that the effort to promote smoke cessation through e-cigarettes could create an entirely new problem: e-cigarette abuse in teens. Overall, I take the stand against e-cigarettes. I
Schools around the world, including Freeburg Community High School, have had to install nicotine detectors to catch those who sneak in Vapes or Juuls, e-cigarettes, into school bathrooms and classrooms. “E-cigarettes are devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales. The liquid usually has nicotine and flavoring in it, and other additives. The nicotine in e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes is addictive. E-cigarettes are considered tobacco products because most of them contain nicotine, which comes from tobacco,” (Know the Risks: E-Cigarettes & Young People). E-cigarettes are just as harmful as regular cigarettes and should not be sold.
tobacco users in the future. Education plays a critical role in early use of e -cigarettes
An increasing number of physicians and scientists agree that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative, and they say these products could end a major health problem. The Royal College of Physicians say, "Electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-containing devices offer massive potential to improve public health, by providing smokers with a much safer alternative to tobacco" (Jen Christensen, sec. 4).
By coincidence, a study tracking more than 2,500 students at 10 Los Angeles schools who had never smoked tobacco, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, came to the opposite conclusion. It said ninth graders who had tried e-cigarettes were far more likely than other students to start smoking “combustible tobacco” (cigarettes, cigars, hookahs) within a year.
Quitting rates of participants who are unwilling to stop smoking at all using electronic cigarettes shows how much of an effective cessation method they are. For nicotine replacement therapy to work, smokers would have to volunteer to quit and seek help, while with electronic cigarettes cessation just happens.
Imagine if there were an alternative to smoking cigarettes. Imagine this alternative could help millions of people quit smoking and comes with only a fraction of the harmful chemicals that cigarettes do. The electronic cigarette or e-cigarette was created in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist. It works by heating a liquid until it turns into vapor which is then inhaled. Since its creation, it use has grown exponentially worldwide. Its use in the US, however, was not regulated by the FDA until August 2016. This regulation deemed e-cigarette devices to be tobacco products, which means it must comply with all the rules that tobacco products do such as, marketing, labeling and companies must register and comply with FDA regulation. This makes the production
One of my first memories in the United States was taking a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) class. I was in sixth grade and a top student, as talking about drugs and alcohol and the way they affect us was fascinating to me. This is why, the following year, I volunteered to become a peer educator in Teens Against Tobacco Use (T.A.T.U). For a couple of years, I gave presentations to young students which included facts, demonstrations, and games, to spread the knowledge that tobacco is harmful and that staying away from smoking prolongs life expectancy and increases the quality of life. It should come as no surprise, then, that I consider myself a big proponent of staying tobacco-free and encouraging others to quit smoking as a great way to promote health. I remember watching my mom and sister as they took part in their nightly ritual of smoking a few cigarettes to unwind. “Did you know that a main component of cigarettes is used as rocket fuel?” I would ask them, as I opened the window and they stared back at me blankly. “We know, we know” was the answer every time. I knew that convincing them to quit was no easy task, but I was committed. Day after day, I proudly stated a new fact about the evils of smoking. Finally one day, they quit. At first, they attributed it to the cost. Since we had just immigrated to the United States, the cost of cigarettes was simply not something they could afford. I didn’t believe it. I proudly
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug at any age, which is very unhealthy for you and can cause major downfalls in the future. Even second smoke from the vapes are harmful because of the chemicals. Vapes or E-Cigarettes were made for adults to quit smoking cigarettes but our youth is also using them as well. They are thinking now that it doesn’t help smokers quit but they aren’t
Nowadays students are not only being pressured to smoke by their peers and by their surrounding, but they are also watching their parents smoke. Many teens have been influenced by
Nicotine is addictive! Most smokers use tobacco regularly because they are addicted to the nicotine. You can be addicted to the nicotine in a physical and physological addiction. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, even if they are in the risk of health problems. It is well documented that most smokers identify tobacco as harmful and express a desire to reduce or stop using it, and nearly 35 million of them make a serious attempt to quit. Unfortunately, 7% of those who try to quit in their own achieve more than 1 year of abstinence; most relapse within a few days of trying to quit. Some of the other factors besides nicotine addictive properties include its high level of availability, the small number of legal consequences of using the tobacco, and the advertising methods used by companies. What most people do not realize is that the
One of the largest issues today is adolescent smoking. According to a heath based website, nearly 90% of adult smokers start while they are still teens and they never intend to get hooked. They may start by bumming a cigarette or two from a friend at a party, and then go on to buying an occasional pack. Soon they realize that they can't go without that pack. They've gotten used to reaching for a cigarette first thing in the morning, after meals, or during any stressful time. They become addicted, both physically and psychologically. According to the American Lung Association, each day 6,000 children under the age of 18 smoke their first cigarette. Almost 2,000 of them will become regular smokers – that’s 757, 000 new smokers annually!
Teenage smoking has remained to be a serious problem ever since the 1970s. Until now, cigarettes are still recognized as the most dangerous substance being used by a great number of high school students on a daily basis. The impact of nicotine, the powerful drug contained in cigarettes, make for people addict and difficult to quit it. Therefore, adults should smoke as least as possible in front of teenagers because they are at an age when the curiosity level is the highest, and the desire to try something new can affect his/her life.