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Is it time to regulate the vaping industry?

Public alarms have been recently raised by health officials concerning the use of e-

cigarettes. Severe lung infections have been recorded while dozens of people are continually

admitted to hospitals due to vaping activities. It is time for the public to reconsider its stance on

vaping. The industry has experienced a tremendous increase in popularity and growth in its

devices. However, the development does not necessarily equate to knowledge as many people

are not sure what vaping means. Most of the users feel that it is more of smoking while others

believe it is inhaling and exhaling the vapor. Is it the right time to regulate vaping?

How vaping safe?

Many years ago, vaping was proposed as potential alternative smoking for addicts, and its

guise as the safest mode of preventing diseases that are associated with nicotine smoking

(Farsalinos, Konstantinos, and Riccardo 69). However, the Centre for Disease Control has raised

concerns about vaping among the youths in the United States of America. According to Dyer (pg

2), in 2018, “the overall consumption of tobacco increased by a margin of 38.3% among the

young individuals in the middle tier of education”. The worst part is that tobacco abuse is

popular among the youth. The study affirmed that 4.9 million students at high and medium

school had abused tobacco products in the last 30 days. The increase in tobacco consumption and

popularity was attributed to the use of e-cigarette. This disturbing revelation has created intense

debate on the safety of vaping and whether or not they offer a safe alternative to convention

smoking. The additional impact has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to initiate a

crackdown that market their devices to the youth.

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Is Vaping causing addiction?

The E-cigarette has become an addiction to youth and adults. The study by the National

Institute on Drug Abuse found that there is an increase in the number of young individuals taking

in vaping. The study revealed that one in every four 12th graders had abused the vaping, an

indication of gain from the previous year. On September 11, 2019 at 1230pm the president of

United States referred to “vaping” as the new problem in the country. He further stated that “it’s

a problem nobody really thought about too much a few years ago… as it pertains to innocent

children.”

Can be vaping regulated?

Most of the parents are fearful of their teenagers. The government also is worried about

the increase in the number of young individuals admitted for rehabilitation, and health experts

are confused. Alex Azar, the HHS secretary of Trump administration, said that “The Trump

Administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to

reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children,

families, schools, and communities.” They are arguing the public to refrain from indulging e-

cigarettes. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control advised expectant women, young

individuals, and non-smokers to refrain from using and taking e-cigarette products (Bowker, et

al. 2). They further cautioned people to monitor their health closely for any symptoms of

respiratory infections like chest pain and coughing.

What are the additional ingredients in vaping?

The E-cigarette is the most advanced nicotine that was designed to reduce convention

smoking. However, the legalization and consumption of Marijuana have changed the whole

equation. Many franchised products of Marijuana have been intended for inhalation, and these
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products have proven to be harmful to human health (Mitton 4). Despite having unknown effects,

Vitamin E acetate is a hot oil found in some of the Marijuana vaping products, and doctors have

cautioned against its consumption. Other brands of vaping also contain T.H.C., a chemical that

induces and causes lung illness in patients (Knopf 6). The F.D.A. has expressed their fear and

urged people against T.H.C. vaping. In particular, the ongoing investigations have indicated that

most of the sample tested by F.D.A. has vaping products with tetrahydrocannabinol (T.H.C.).

How complicated is the regulation process?

The scientist believes that e-cigarette is the safest mode of consuming nicotine as

opposed to traditional smoking. How secure is it? The Public health organization such as the

F.D.A. and Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is responsible for vetting these

products. However, most of the big companies and shops dealing with vaping has failed to

submit the information for review. The Vapor Technology Association has filed different court

proceeds to enhance delays and prevent the organization from unearthing the truth. The

associations argue that the 2020-time limit cannot be achieved by every company to compile the

data that regulators need. Smaller vaping shops are more likely to collapse at the expense of

fortifying regulatory agreement, and e-cigarette smokers are likely to shifts to conventional

smoking practices (Greenberg 12).

There seems to exists some truth in the revelation, a blow to F.D.A progress in curbing

regular smoking and a failure in its mandated to protect the consumer after gaining authority

over e-cigarettes. The F.D.A. owes the consumers an explanation of whether these products

require regulation and whether the products and devices of vaping are safe as compared to

potential risks by regular smoking.

What effort has been taken by government agencies?

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The acting commissioner of FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless and his team is currently

developing guidelines that will regulate the Vaping industry. The instructions are supposed to

control and keep tobacco-flavored e-cigarette on the market for adults only to help quit smoking.

Also, the directives should enforce strict policies in marketing practices that target the youths by

attracting them into nicotine e-cigarette. The uncertainty caused by vaping products has

prompted states in America to ban its flavored ingredients. The momentum has picked up in

different states. The state of Michigan has become the first state to outlaw the indulgence of

flavored e-cigarette. The state of San Francisco also banned all the e-cigarette consumption in

the environment. Philanthropists such as Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York

has pledged more than $150 million to facilitate the enacting of similar restrictions around

America.

References

Bowker, Katharine, et al. "Views on and experiences of electronic cigarettes: a qualitative

study of women who are pregnant or have recently given birth." BMC pregnancy and

childbirth 18.1 (2018): 233.

Dyer, Owen. "FDA considers regulatory action as vaping among US teens jumps 78% in a

year." (2019): l741.

Farsalinos, Konstantinos E., and Riccardo Polosa. "Safety evaluation and risk assessment

of electronic cigarettes as tobacco cigarette substitutes: a systematic review." Therapeutic

advances in drug safety 5.2 (2014): 67-86.

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Greenberg, Lauren H. "The Deeming Rule: The FDA's Destruction of the

Vaping Industry." Brook. L. Rev. 83 (2017): 777.

Knopf, Alison. "FDA: Avoid THC‐containing vaping products." Alcoholism & Drug

Abuse Weekly 31.35 (2019): 5-6.

Mitton, Nicole. "Vaping-related lung illness update."