Overreaction to Vaping-Related Illness: A Doctor’s Perspective
In recent weeks, there has been widespread news about various government sources threatening and even implementing vaping bans. This reaction has been triggered by the deaths of seven people and serious lung illnesses in up to 400 individuals, all linked to vaping. Several governments worldwide are eager to ban flavors or outright ban all vaping products to reduce the number of illnesses and deaths currently happening in the US.
Global Vaping Bans
Here are a few examples of the growing number of governments implementing vaping bans:
- India: The Indian cabinet has announced a ban on the production, import, and sale of electronic cigarettes. This ban includes up to three years of jail time. (Source)
- San Francisco, USA: The city has banned the sale of e-cigarettes.
- New York, USA: The state has officially banned the sale of flavored vaping products. (Source)
- Chicago, USA: The Mayor has stated he would seek a citywide ban on all flavored e-cigarette products.
- USA: President Donald Trump has suggested a flavor ban on vaping products. (Source)
A Doctor’s View: Vaping Bans are an Overreaction
Dr. Michael Siegel suggests that e-cigarette bans are a tremendous overreaction. After reviewing the information from the CDC, he has determined that in the overwhelming majority of cases, it is not nicotine e-cigarettes causing health issues; instead, it is vaping illicit marijuana vape cartridges. He states, “These are THC oils that people are vaping that are getting into the lungs and causing these diseases.”
Dr. Siegel goes on to state, “We know that there was a contaminant called Vitamin E Acetate Oil that was found in all of the New York Cartridges, THC cartridges that were tested. We know that vaping oil is extremely dangerous to the lungs.”
The Confusion Between Two Separate Issues
Dr. Siegel suggests that our government is confusing and aligning two separate vaping-related issues; one being the vape-related deaths & sicknesses, and the second being youth vaping. He also suggests that banning flavored e-liquids will have little effect on reducing youth from vaping.
The Big Deal
The answer to whether this is a big deal is a resounding ‘No’. Dr. Siegel states, “We know that the overwhelming majority of smokers or ex-smokers who are now vaping, if they stop vaping, they’re most likely going to go back to cigarette smoking and that’s the last thing that we should be doing to public health.”
This is certainly a challenging situation considering the number of uninformed people, and the misguided information coming from the media. As Dr. Siegel concludes, “with an outbreak like this, you don’t want to generalize. You want to be as specific as possible.” It’s crucial for our government to make timely & accurate statements based on the best information available at the time, and not rush in with blanket bans of vaping products which stand to affect those of us that are actively using them as a safer alternative to cigarettes. The real culprit to ban is illicit THC vape pens & pods that are made & sold on the streets.
Please click HERE to listen to the entire interview with Dr. Siegel. Original story posted by CBC Radio ‘As it Happens’.
