2015 Spring: E-Cigarettes!!!

April 01, 2015 - 04:58 PM

In the news...
On March 9, 2015 a man in his 20’s was burned early morning after an electronic cigarette reportedly exploded and started a small fire in the bedroom. The man was sitting on his bed and “smoking an e- cigarette when he heard a humming sound, so he pulled it away from his mouth and it exploded,” OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said. He called 911 and said his bedroom was on fire after the explosion, but he was able to extinguish the flames that were on his sheets and folded clothes on his bed with water before the 25 dispatched firefighters arrived, OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

Firefighters found half of the e-cigarette stuck in the ceiling and the other half became shrapnel that was found scattered across the bedding. The man was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian with minor burns to his face and hands and a cut on his hand.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid solution to create an aerosol that is breathed into the user’s lungs. The liquid usually contains nicotine along with flavorings and other chemicals.

E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Some are disposable and some are rechargeable and refillable. They go by other names such as hookah pens, vape pens, vape pipes and
mods.

WAIT a minute...

What do we know about e- cigarettes??

MYTH: E-cigarettes produce a harmless water vapor. There is no secondhand vapor.
REALITY: E-cigarettes do produce an aerosol that has nicotine, harmful chemicals, and toxins known to cause cancer (among other things). These chemicals and toxins include things like formaldehyde, lead and nickel.

MYTH: E-cigarettes are safe and don’t have any toxins.
REALITY: E-cigarettes are NOT a risk-free product. They still deliver nicotine and low levels of toxins and chemicals, many of the same chemicals found in tobacco products. E-cigarettes are not regulated so you never know what you’re inhaling.

MYTH: E-cigarettes aren’t addictive.
REALITY: Nicotine is a poison and a highly addictive drug. Nicotine is one of the main ingredients in e-cigarettes and tobacco products. Nicotine levels can vary widely and labels often aren’t correct. Some e-cigarettes that claim to be nicotine-free actually do have nicotine.

MYTH: E-cigarettes can help people quit tobacco.
REALITY: E-cigarettes are NOT approved by the U.S. FDA to help people quit tobacco. You may know someone who has stopped using tobacco and switched to e-cigarettes, but switching isn’t quitting. No studies clearly show that e-cigarettes help people quit smoking. In fact, studies find e- cigarette use linked to lower odds of quitting. Vaping might lead to smoking more regular cigarettes.

There are SAFER and MORE effective ways to QUIT!!!