Winner, Crow Writing Contest, 2021
By Ruben Portillo, University of Arizona
Ruben Portillo studies Criminal Justice and Spanish at the University of Arizona. He is from a small town South of Arizona called Rio Rico. After completing his bachelors degree, Ruben plans to go into Law School.
Vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes has become very popular among teenagers throughout the years, however they don’t realize the potential health issues and damaging effects it can have on them. Although it can be debated that vaping is positive, due to the fact that it’s a safer and healthier alternative to smoking tobacco, there are still more cons rather than pros. I’ve come to the realization that vaping is becoming a serious problem, and for this reason, the purpose of my writing is to inform teenagers, parents, medical professionals, and the FDA about the potential health issues and damaging effects vaping and the usage of electronic cigarettes can have, and also explain why we need to set regulations and try to control this issue. As more and more teenagers get hooked on vaping, they don’t take into consideration the seriousness of this issue. Some of the common health issues caused by vaping or the use of electronic cigarettes include lung, heart, brain, gum illnesses, and even death. Usually, vapers show symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain, worsening overtime. These health issues and symptoms are all due to the various chemicals and substances that vaping devices contain. In Vaping Epidemic: Challenges and Opportunities, Besaratinia and Tommasi discuss the various chemicals and substances that E-cigarettes contain such as, propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, as well as many of the same toxicants and carcinogens that are found in tobacco smoke. Of course, all the chemicals, harms, and extents of these health risks are ongoing and are still being studied and researched.
For my research, there were certain criteria that I focused on in order to obtain the most reliable, accurate, and useful sources that contained data and information regarding my topic. I conducted research based on three major key words which were “vaping,” “teenagers,” and “health.” With these three key words I was able to obtain various reliable and useful scholarly sources, data, and information from different health professionals and researchers. Additionally, I made sure that the sources I chose were published no more than five years ago. I felt that it was important to choose recent sources to ensure more accurate data and information. Overall, the sources I found were very useful because they helped start and expand my research on the potential health issues and damaging effects of vaping and electronic cigarette use on young adults.
The first source I chose is a peer-reviewed scholarly article titled, Vaping Epidemic: Challenges and Opportunities, and it is written by Ahmad Besaratinia and Stella Tommasi, who are both part of the Department of Preventive Medicine in USC Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Overall, I believe this source was very useful because I was able to grasp critical data and information regarding my topic such as, the increase in teenage vaping, vaping-related injuries and deaths, and various viewpoints and recommendations regarding vaping regulations.
The second source I chose is a peer-reviewed scholarly article titled, Vaping in Today’s Pandemic: E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use–associated Lung Injury Mimicking COVID-19 in Teenagers Presenting with Respiratory Distress. This article is written by five different health professionals who are part of different health departments and divisions at University of California Davis Health in Sacramento, California. Overall, I believe this source was very useful because I was provided a study that helped me gain an understanding of how COVID-19 symptoms can easily be confused with potential lung injuries due to vaping.
The third source I chose is a peer-reviewed scholarly article titled, New Understanding of the Health Hazards of Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping, and it is written by Harold Farber, who is part of the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.
Overall, I believe this source was very useful because Farber provides crucial information regarding my topic such as, the health hazards of vaping and e-cigarette use, the increase in vaping amongst the youth, the different types of chemicals that vaping products pertain, treatment for nicotine addiction, and what health professionals should do to help.
The fourth source I chose is a non-scholarly article titled, Vaping in Adolescents: Epidemiology and Respiratory Harm. This article is written by Eric Stephen Hamberger, who is part of the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Pediatric Pulmonology at UCLA, and Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, who is part of the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford University. Overall, I believe this source is useful because it discusses the advances in nicotine delivery and the lung-specific harms of vaping.
The fifth source I chose is a peer-reviewed scholarly article titled, Vaping: An Emerging Health Hazard. This article is written by Michael Oriakhi, who is part of Internal Medicine at Medical Center Navicent Health. Overall, I believe this source is useful because Oriakhi provides various studies and investigations that contain valuable information regarding the potential health risks of vaping.
The sixth, and last source I chose is a non-scholarly article titled, The Student Vaping Crisis: How Schools Are Fighting Back, and it is written by Denisa R. Superville and Arianna Prothero, who’s profession I could not find. Overall I believe this article is useful because it includes information such as the problems regarding teenage vaping and what schools are doing to manage and stop these issues.
Throughout my research and sources, there were many common themes that I noticed. One of the common themes that all the health professionals and researchers agree upon, is the generalization that vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes is bad and hazardous towards human health, especially teenagers. Additionally, another common theme that my research and sources revealed was that the health issues relating to vaping that were most commonly identified included cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Lastly, another common theme that most health professionals and researchers agree upon is that we need to find ways to resolve this issue regarding teenage vaping.
Besaratinia, Ahmad, and Tommasi, Stella. “Vaping Epidemic: Challenges and Opportunities.” Cancer Causes & Control 31.7 (2020): 663-67. https://link-springer-com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/article/10.1007/s10552-020-0 1307-y.
In this informative article (2020), Besaratinia and Tommasi analyze the recent outbreak of teen vaping and vaping-related lung injuries and deaths in the United States and discuss regulations that have been made across different countries around the world. They discuss the various chemicals and substances that E-cigarettes contain such as, propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, as well as many of the same toxicants and carcinogens that are found in tobacco smoke.
Additionally, they analyze and discuss teen vaping and how it has gradually increased over time by referencing various sources and surveys. Furthermore, they discuss the health concerns about vaping and how it has escalated to an unprecedented level causing severe lung injuries and even death. Lastly they discuss worldwide reactions to the demands of vaping regulations. Some of the regulations that have been made in different countries that were mentioned in the article include the banning of electronic cigarette sale, restrictions of how vaping products are sold, regulations of the amount of nicotine used in vaping products, and many more. This article analyzes the issues regarding vaping and the authors discuss various viewpoints and ideas in order to assist medical communities, public health professionals, and regulatory authorities in addressing complex issues related to vaping regulation.
Darmawan, Daphne O, Gwal, Kriti, Goudy, Brian D, Jhawar, Sanjay, and Nandalike, Kiran. “Vaping in Today’s Pandemic: E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use–associated Lung Injury Mimicking COVID-19 in Teenagers Presenting with Respiratory Distress.” SAGE Open Medical Case Reports 8 (2020): SAGE Open Medical Case Reports, 2020-10, Vol.8. https://doi-org.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/10.1177/2050313X20969590.
In this lab report (2020), Darmawan, Gwal, Goudy, Jhawar, and Nandalike inform their audience about how COVID-19 symptoms can easily be confused with potential lung injuries caused by vaping. They conduct a study on three adolescents that presented COVID-19 symptoms and they perform various laboratory tests and chest imaging studies that showed elevated inflammatory markers and ground glass opacities and interstitial prominence patterns which are commonly seen in COVID-19, however the virus results came back negative. Further questioning of these adolescents and their parents was conducted and it revealed that they had a history of vaping which led to the diagnosis of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury. Their conclusion stated that the lung injuries they found were not due to Covid-19, but rather vape usage. This study discussed how COVID-19 symptoms can easily be confused with potential lung injuries in order to inform adolescents, parents, and healthcare providers about risks of vaping in this pandemic.
Farber, Harold J. “New Understanding of the Health Hazards of Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping.” Pediatrics in Review, vol. 41, no. 3, 2020, pp. 152–154. https://pedsinreview-aappublications-org.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/content/41/3/152. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
In this informative article (2020), Harold J. Farber informs his audience about the health hazards of vaping and electronic cigarette use. In his article, Farber explains and talks about the increase in vaping amongst the youth throughout the last couple of years and mentions that vaping popularity increased from 1.5% in 2011 to 27.5% in 2019, not to mention that the percentage is still rising. He discusses the different types of chemicals that vaping products contain such as, nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, flavoring chemicals, and many more.
Additionally, he discusses the harmful effects and health risks related to vaping by including CDC reports, and studies which stated factual data and information relating to the effects, risks, and even deaths caused by vaping. Farber discusses treatment for nicotine addiction which includes, FDA approved nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and many more. Additionally, Farber also discusses different ways in which health professionals can help. Some ways Farber mentions in his article include, asking patients about electronic cigarette use by both teenagers and their parents, asking children to make a commitment to be a nonuser of electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, and advocate for public policies to protect young people from electronic cigarettes. This informative article was done in order to inform teenagers, parents, and medical professionals about the health hazards of vaping and e-cigarette use, and to demonstrate how to treat nicotine addiction and to explain what health professionals can do to help.
Hamberger, Eric Stephen, and Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie. “Vaping in Adolescents: Epidemiology and Respiratory Harm.” Current Opinion in Pediatrics 32.3 (2020): 378-83. https://arizona-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1h28lag/TN_cdi_pubm edcentral_primary_oai_pubmedcentral_nih_gov_7285995.
In this review (2020), Hamberger and Halpern-Felsher highlight the epidemiologic changes in e-cigarette use in adolescents, and discuss recent advances in aerosolized nicotine delivery, and provide research related to the lung-specific harm of vaping. They explain e-cigarette usage in adolescents in the United States and discuss how the percentage is increasing year by year. Additionally, they also talk about how nicotine is delivered and the modern devices used for vaping. There are tons of different vaping artifacts that have been created and they mention how higher device voltage and alterations in vapor delivery make research on dosage, nicotine concentration, addiction, perceived harm, flavors, and other factors extremely difficult. Lastly, they discuss respiratory harm, and vaping product use-associated lung injury. This review highlights important aspects of adolescent e-cigarette use and what vape products are made up of, in order to understand and recognize the harm that can be caused and create future prevention for teenagers, parents, and health professionals.
Oriakhi, Michael. “Vaping: An Emerging Health Hazard.” Cureusvol. 12,3 e7421. 26 Mar. 2020, doi:10.7759/cureus.7421, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186084/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
In this article (2020), Michael Oriakhi informs his audience about potential health risks related to vaping such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Oriakhi suggests that health professionals should report vaping injuries in order to continue to assess the health risks of e-cigarette use. He discusses some of the pulmonary risks associated with vaping which include, spontaneous pneumothorax, acute eosinophilic pneumonia, respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, organizing pneumonia, and acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia. Oriakhi provides various studies, investigations, and information pertaining to the discovery of these risks. He mentions that young people are the ones that are most at risk. Additionally, Oriakhi mentions how the harms and extents of health risks from the use of vaping associated products are still ongoing. This informative article was done in order to inform teenagers, parents, and vape users about the potential health risks related to vaping and to persuade health professionals to report vaping injuries in order to continue to assess the health risks from the use of vaping associated products.
Superville, Denisa R., and Prothero, Arianna. “The Student Vaping Crisis: How Schools Are Fighting Back.” Education Week, vol. 39, no. 02, 28 Aug. 2019, p. 1. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A598586061/AONE?u=uarizona_main&sid=AONE&xid=55 1e16c4. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
In this informative article (2019), Denisa R. Superville and Arianna Prothero inform their audience about the problems regarding vaping and what schools are doing to manage and stop these issues. They start this article by talking about vaping trends among young adults that have arisen in recent years. They mention that “experts agree that vaping is harmful to students’ bodies and brains” and that “there are toxic chemicals and metals in many e-cigarettes, and vaping can cause respiratory issues, and potentially cardiovascular problems, and even seizures” (Superville and Prothero). Additionally, they talk about what schools are doing to manage this issue regarding teenage vaping. For example, they discuss how schools should counsel students as opposed to using fear tactics, and also how young adults need parent support in order to help them with their vaping addictions. Throughout the whole article, the authors use various amounts of data and statements from different schools and principles to strengthen their purpose. This informative article was done in order to inform parents and school faculty about problems regarding vaping and what various schools should do and are doing to manage and stop these issues, as well as demonstrating what to do to help young adults with their vaping addictions and problems.
There are already some regulations set across different countries around the world, for example, banning electronic cigarette sale, restrictions of how vaping products are sold, regulations of the amount of nicotine used in vaping products, and many more. Additionally, there are also various methods to help with nicotine addiction such as, FDA approved nicotine gum, and nicotine patches. Furthermore, there are also ways in which medical professionals can help, for example, asking children to make a commitment to be a nonuser of electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, advocate for public policies to protect young people from electronic cigarettes, and report vaping injuries in order to continue to assess the health risks from the use of vaping associated products. It might seem like we have this issue regarding vaping under control but in reality, that is not the case.
Since many teenagers don’t realize and understand the seriousness of this issue, it’s important that we inform them about the potential health issues and damaging effects vaping and usage of electronic cigarettes can have on them. It’s understood that popular vaping trends can be very tempting, especially for young adults, however that doesn’t change the fact that it can have a major impact on your health. E-cigarettes and vape products contain chemicals and substances such as propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, as well as many of the same toxicants and carcinogens that are found in tobacco smoke. These chemicals and toxins are the leading cause of lung, heart, brain, gum illnesses, and death in electronic cigarette users, especially teenagers. Not to mention, vaping can also cause respiratory issues, and potentially cardiovascular problems, and even seizures. We need to understand that vaping is becoming a serious problem, and if we don’t set more regulations or try to control this issue, more and more teenagers will start vaping and potentially lead them to addiction and severe health issues, even death. So, if you know or are someone who vapes or uses electronic cigarettes, ask them or yourself, is it really worth it?
Copyright © 2021 Ruben Portillo. Published with permission.