{"id":6333,"date":"2019-04-08T10:42:03","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T14:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/?p=6333"},"modified":"2020-01-13T14:39:13","modified_gmt":"2020-01-13T19:39:13","slug":"the-vapor-settles-on-e-cig-politics-and-health-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/the-vapor-settles-on-e-cig-politics-and-health-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vapor Settles on E-Cig Politics and Health Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Is Vaping?<\/h2>\n

Vaping is the act of using an electronic cigarette to heat a liquid extract, typically derived from nicotine, to the point where it becomes a vapor and can be inhaled. Two different delivery systems exist, open or closed, depending on if users can refill cartridges themselves or not. Most e-liquids, juices, and oils are made with nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, and flavorings (4<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Rapid Growth<\/h3>\n

According to market research group Euromonitor and the BBC, the worldwide vaping market was 7 million people in 2011. Now, with an impressive 19.8% compound annual growth rate, the vaping industry is set to include 55 million people by 2025 (1<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Growth that aggressive makes right now an important moment to understand the health implications and motivations of manufacturers, regulators, and consumers.<\/p>\n

Heated Debate<\/h3>\n

2019 has already seen a wave of e-cig news and controversy after many conservative groups such as Americans for Tax Reform, ALEC Action, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Goldwater Institute ramped up criticism of now resigned FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb for taking on \u201cyouth vaping\u201d as one of his cornerstone issues (3<\/a>). By the time you read this article Gottlieb will likely be out of office, but in his final days, the FDA announced new rules that e-cig manufacturers must adhere to<\/a> if they want to stay on the market.<\/p>\n

Advocate groups see vaping as a useful tool in overcoming nicotine addiction and also as a source of innovation and growth for our economy. In a letter sent to the White House early February, these advocate groups criticize the FDA and Gottlieb for their \u201caggressive regulatory assault\u201d on e-cigarettes (3<\/a>). For those who have used vaping to overcome their smoking habits, the FDA\u2019s toughening as a perceived attack on the possibility of prescribing vaping to medically treat nicotine addiction.<\/p>\n

However, many experts, including Johns Hopkins, Yale, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control remind us that most e-cigarettes still have nicotine in them which, in any form, is still an incredibly addictive substance. There already exists a vast body of research warning us of the health risks of nicotine and smoking and, while vaping may be less harsh and have fewer chemicals, nicotine still:<\/p>\n