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Tag: e-cigarette illnesses

  • Former FDA Chair "Skeptical" That Vaping Can Cause Cancer

    Former FDA Chair "Skeptical" That Vaping Can Cause Cancer

    However, he does believe that vaping is harmful overall.

    The former head of the Food and Drug Administration says that he is “skeptical” that vaping can cause lung cancer, despite a research paper released last week that indicated that vaping nicotine increases lung cancer risk.

    “It Might Be A Tumor Promoter”

    Scott Gottlieb, a physician who led the FDA from 2017 until April of this year, made his comments during an appearance on Squawk Box last Monday (Oct. 14), CNBC reported. 

    “I’m skeptical that nicotine causes cancer,” he said. “It might be a tumor promoter, [researchers] have said that there’s a potential that nicotine is a tumor promoter, but it doesn’t cause cancer.”

    Tumor promotion is a process that stimulates the growth of existing tumors, but does not cause new tumors to form, according to the National Cancer Institute. 

    Gottlieb did not say why he believed that vaping nicotine could be a tumor promoter, but not cause cancer. However, he did emphasize that he believes vaping is harmful overall. 

    “That said, we had a signal when I was at the FDA of damage that vaping was causing to the lungs in an animal study,” he said. “You can’t inhale something into the lungs that way on a repeated basis and not cause some damage to the lung.”

    What About The Vaping Mice?

    Gottlieb was responding to a study published last week that found that vaping caused lung cancer in mice. The study found that 22.5% of mice that were exposed to e-cigarette vapor with nicotine for 54 weeks developed lung cancer. More than 57% of the mice developed pre-cancerous lesions on their bladder. 

    However, there was a small silver lining: mice that were exposed to e-cigarette vapor that did not have any nicotine did not develop cancer, even when they were followed for four years. 

    More Studies Needed

    Lead study author Moon-Shong Tang said the study showed that vapes were potentially dangerous and needed to be studied more carefully for their cancer risk in humans. 

    “Tobacco smoke is among the most dangerous environmental agents to which humans are routinely exposed, but the potential of E-cig smoke as a threat to human health is not yet fully understood,” he said in a news release. “Our study results in mice were not meant to be compared to human disease, but instead argue that E-cig smoke must be more thoroughly studied before it is deemed safe or marketed that way.”

    In an interview with CNBC, Tang said, “It’s foreseeable that if you smoke e-cigarettes, all kinds of disease comes out [over time]. Long term, some cancer will come out, probably. E-cigarettes are bad news.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Vaping Death Toll Rises To Nine

    Vaping Death Toll Rises To Nine

    The Kansas resident, who was a new e-cigarette user, had an underlying health condition. 

    A second Kansas resident has died from a vaping-related illness, bringing the national death toll to at least nine as of Wednesday (Sept. 25). 

    The most recent victim was a man older than 50. He had an underlying health condition, according to information provided by the state’s Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). 

    “Today, I am saddened to announce the death of a second Kansan in association with this outbreak,” Governor Laura Kelly said in a news release. “Dr. Lee Norman and his team with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are working tirelessly with other states and organizations to gather facts on e-cigarettes and its effects. We are coordinating a response to combat this epidemic, so that families can avoid such tragic outcomes.”

    New Users Are Affected Too

    The man was reportedly a new vape pen user. 

    “The patient had recently begun using e-cigarettes prior to hospitalization,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Farah Ahmed.

    The information on vaping-related illness in Kansas shows how widespread the issue is. The other death in the state was of a woman, also over 50, who also had underlying health issues.

    However, of the nine confirmed cases of vape-related deaths in the country, the victims have ranged in age from 17-67. They’ve included five men and four women. The products linked to the illnesses have contained tobacco, THC, CBD or a combination of these. 

    “E-cigarettes are unregulated, which means that we don’t know what’s in them,” said Norman, the secretary of KDHE. “And, of great concern to me, is that in the midst of all these illnesses being reported, the amount of young people using them is significant.”

    Youth Vaping Epidemic

    Parents must be aware that even though their children aren’t smoking traditional cigarettes, they could be vaping, officials say.  

    “Most teens who vape have never smoked cigarettes. Vaping is how they are initiating inhaling things into their lungs. We must work diligently and swiftly in addressing this public health crisis,” Norman said. 

    The state reports that 10.6% of high schoolers and 4.6% of adults use vaping products. All of them could be at risk, since it’s unknown what is causing vape-related illnesses. 

    “The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is urging people to stop vaping while this national investigation is underway,” said Ahmed.

    Norman said it’s important that everyone be aware of the risks of vaping, especially while vape pens remain widely available. 

    “Until [new] rules and regulations go into effect, education is our best defense,” he said. “Talk to your kids. Talk to your grandkids. Keep talking about these issues.”

    View the original article at thefix.com