This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses on electronic-cigarette research and usage. Jennifer Jones, MPH, community engagement senior coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, discussed this topic.
EB: Good afternoon, Jennifer. Can you believe August marks six years that we have been publishing these pages in the Courier? It has gone so fast, and I am truly grateful for this partnership. I know that a lot of important health and research information has gone to the thousands of readers, encouraging them to “Take Charge” of their health.
JJ: It truly has gone so fast! I counted, as we have published 57 unique pages on over 50 health topics.
EB: Truly a pleasure to be involved. I’ve been looking forward to learning and talking more about e-cigarettes. Is it just me or does it seem like more people are using these products?
JJ: I’ve noticed it, too, Esther. Reports from the Office of the Surgeon General show that e-cigarette usage has greatly increased over the last five years. More high school students smoke e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes, and usage is higher in that population than in adults (https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/). Electronic nicotine products are seen as a “trendy” and “cool” way to smoke, especially because many of these products use flavored liquids that taste and smell better than traditional tobacco smoke.
EB: That’s really important to know, especially as the Urban League has many programs geared toward adolescents. I’ve heard chatter that people switch to these because they are safer.
JJ: The challenging part is that clinicians and researchers do not yet know what long-term effects these products have on our bodies. It takes many years of research to build solid evidence to determine whether something is harmful to our bodies. As the overview points out, it’s still very important to remember that these products may contain nicotine and other chemicals. We actually don’t always know what ingredients are in e-cigarettes. Nicotine is addictive and can cause changes in the brain. There’s research showing that e-cigarette usage or “vaping” can lead to traditional cigarette use and addiction. And research has already proven that traditional cigarette use is harmful to people’s health.
EB: I’m glad this page is a way to highlight what researchers are working on. This topic is important at a county level as well. Dr. Karen Hacker and her team at the Allegheny County Health Department worked with city government to pass a regulation that “prohibits the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products in indoor public places where cigarettes are already prohibited” earlier in 2017. The Urban League has also collaborated with Tobacco Free Allegheny (TFA; www.tobaccofreeallegheny.org/
ecigarettes.asp), which does great work in our community and has a wealth of resources, including education, prevention and smoking cessation information.
JJ: Yes, TFA is a great resource. The Clean Indoor Air Act that was passed shows the commitment health officials in Allegheny County have to this cause to create a healthier environment for all of us. I encourage everyone reading this commentary to use the resources that are on this page and share them with a friend or family member who may smoke. Next month, we’re focusing on addiction. I look forward to talking more then. Any questions or comments about this page can be sent to partners@hs.pitt.edu.
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