The Harmful Consequences of Vaping: A Public Health Threat

The vaping of nicotine products has overwhelmingly gained national attention as the new public health crisis. The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems and products such as electronic cigarettes, JUUL, pods, or vaporizers is now a worldwide multibillion dollar industry. Despite the notable gains decreasing harmful smoking behaviors of traditional cigarettes among youth, these public health initiatives have been significantly nullified by the indiscriminate exposure of these highly addictive products by nicotine manufacturers to the adolescent population. Although touted as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco smoking and an effective cessation method to quit traditional cigarette smoking, there are no definitive data, to date, substantiating that this is true. Currently, adolescents are the predominant population using electronic nicotine delivery systems and at the greatest risk to the negative effects of nicotine exposure (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2016). The purpose of this article is to identify the health impact and potential dangers related to the vaping epidemic that conflict with teens' risk beliefs that vaping is harmless. To protect American youth, a comprehensive approach for harm reduction to this deadly problem is imperative, including product warnings and regulation, public media campaigns, economic and social strategies, and policy initiatives.