The national discussion about the health risks of vaping involves both the long-term effects of e-cigarettes and an immediate crisis. Seven deaths have been linked to vaping. It appears from news reports that many of those cases involve vaping not a nicotine product but THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Government agencies and medical researchers are still investigating.
Those cases serve as the backdrop for a movement both nationally and locally to crack down on vaping. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot proposed a citywide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. An alderman went further, pushing for a ban on all vaping products. President Donald Trump has called for a nationwide ban on flavored e-cigarettes.
Smoking tobacco products is a dangerous habit. Cigarettes kill. Much less is understood about vaping’s effects. E-cigarettes, which are smokeless and don’t contain tobacco, generally produce fewer toxic chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from regular cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaping industry says its products help people wean themselves from cigarettes. But does vaping, too, have long-term health risks? As of now, it’s vapers beware.
On one point, there is little debate. Robust efforts to keep teens from vaping make sense. And vaping can put teens on the path of a lifelong tobacco habit: According to a recent study, youths 12 to 17 who vaped are twice as likely to become regular tobacco smokers within a year.
Many states have imposed age restrictions on purchasing e-cigarettes. In Illinois, as of July 1, it is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under 21. Good.
But should Chicago’s City Hall now ban purchases by adults?
For now, if you’re underage, you shouldn’t be anywhere near vaping products, including flavored ones. It’s on retailers and law enforcement to rigorously abide by Illinois’ new law.
If you’re an adult, the decision is yours to make.
Be aware, though, that vaping may be more perilous to your health than you’ve led yourself to believe.