SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: Vaping Won’t Help Smokers Quit

According to the Journal Tobacco Control, new research indicates most people who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are likely to continue smoking rather than quit. As used by the general population, e-cigarettes have not contributed to substantial smoking cessation. Researchers at the department of prevention and community health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. maintain that research indicates smoking cigarettes is harmful, and the long-term effects of e-cigarette use are unknown. Using both products concurrently carries increased risk, people should be encouraged to quit using both products.

Vaping nicotine is highly addictive and has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and lung disease. People use e-cigarettes for a variety of reasons which includes trying to quit or cut down on smoking, the appeal of flavors, the fact that they are odorless, and some people vape to get a nicotine fix in places where they can't smoke cigarettes.

Researchers collected data on 545 cigarette smokers who also vaped. The researchers took into account various factors, including race and ethnicity, education and behavioral factors, such as frequency of nicotine, alcohol and marijuana use and perceptions about vaping being perceived as more or less harmful than cigarettes. They found that 76% of the participants smoked cigarettes daily and 33.5% vaped daily; 62.5% drank alcohol and 25% smoked marijuana. In all, nearly 82% thought vaping was less harmful than smoking.

As a result, 66% of e-cigarette users quit vaping during the study period, but a third continued to vape throughout the six-year study period. Among cigarette smokers, 55% continued to smoke, while 27% slowly quit and 17.5% quit early in the study. Over the course of the study, 42% quit vaping but continued to smoke cigarettes. Fifteen percent continued to smoke and vape per the researchers found.

American Lung Association (ALA) Medical spokesperson Dr Amit Mahajan suggested it was not a good decision to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking. ALA believes e-cigarettes use is very alarming especially with the popularity of vaping in youth.

Please contact the American Lung Association for help beating a Nicotine Addiction. You may visit their website at: www.american lung.org. The Association says “the only thing that should go into your lungs is clean air, so if you’re inhaling anything, it could potentially be toxic to your lungs!!

The New York State Smokers’ Quitline assists thousands of New Yorkers every year in their attempts to break free from smoking and other tobacco and the service is free and confidential. Call 1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487) or visit them at: https://www.nysmokefree.com/.for Quit Help.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is concerned about tobacco use and vaping, seeking to educate and update the community regarding its negative consequences in collaboration with Carol Meschkow, Manager- Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on ww.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit the Vaping Facts and Myths Page of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health www.safeglencove.org.