BE SAFE - DON'T VAPE.

“Stop vaping” – that’s the recent message from North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, along with numerous federal health agencies. Our pulmonary health expert at Catawba Valley Healthcare System (CVHS), Dr. Kathy Wilson, weighs in on the growing health concern about lung illness and the use of e-cigarette products or “vaping” devices, including liquids, refill pods, and cartridges.

Dr. Kathy Wilson says, “Vaping involves heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs. Other than the commercially available liquids that typically contain nicotine, users are also buying liquid products off the street that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinoid (CBD) oil or a number of other chemical substances, for which the long-term effects are mostly unknown. As developing research indicates a potentially dangerous link between vaping and respiratory illness, lung damage, and even death, we encourage patients to play it safe and don’t vape.”

Quality patient care begins with educating patients about health risks and symptoms to prevent illness or disease. The vaping epidemic is particularly alarming given its popularity among teenagers as well as adults trying to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. From 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use among high school students increased by 78 percent, according to a survey conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey suggests the surge in e-cigarette use is likely due to the popularity of certain types of easily concealed vaping devices that resemble USB flash drives.

“Although e-cigarette manufacturers often market vaping as a less dangerous option than smoking tobacco cigarettes, we caution against using any product that contains nicotine,” Dr. Wilson emphasizes. “E-cigarettes can deliver nicotine in higher concentrations per puff than traditional cigarettes and, given their small size and less noticeable odor, make it easy for users to puff on them frequently throughout the day.”

Until more is known, please consider refraining from using e-cigarette or vaping products. If you are an adult who used e-cigarettes containing nicotine to quit cigarette smoking, do not return to smoking cigarettes. If you are dependent on nicotine, it’s better to use safe cessation tools that are proven to be effective in curbing cravings for tobacco products. Nicotine patches, nicotine gum and other smoking cessation products are designed to help smokers wean off nicotine. Unlike e-cigarettes, they are proven to work. A national toll-free quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, also serves as an access point for anyone seeking help to quit smoking.

Patients with smoking/vaping-related health symptoms should immediately contact their primary care provider, go to one of Catawba Valley Medical Group’s urgent care locations, or visit the Catawba Valley Medical Center Emergency Department.

Vaping-Related Symptoms:

  • Chronic lung infections
  • Persistentcoughing, shortness of breath, respiratory illness or chest pain
  • Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea
  • Fatigue or fever
Catawba Valley Pulmonology providers Dr. Peter Alford, Dr. Kathy T. Wilson and Marcella Miller, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, treat conditions such as lung disease, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respiratory failure, lung injuries and more at their practice located at 3521 Graystone Place SE, STE 202, Conover, NC 28613. For more information, please call 828.326.2660. A referral is required.

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