Addressing The Vaping Epidemic

There are now over 800 confirmed and probably cases of lung injuries associated to e-cigarette use

DULUTH, Minn.- There are now over 800 confirmed and probably case of lung injury associated with e-cigarette use in 46 states according to the CDC. A week ago there were just 530 which is why a vaping forum was held today with local medical experts.

There have been 13 deaths in 10 different states across the U.S. including one in Minnesota while there’s been a 78% increase in vaping among high school students from 2017 to 2018 according to data collected.

Which is why Essentia Health held a daylong panel to address the scope of youth tobacco use while formulating a plan  to discuss the effect of vaping with young kids and their parents.

For kids at Duluth East, if they happen to be caught with a vape in their backpack or somewhere on them, they are given two options.

“Their first offense most of them are choosing to do an educational option where they are learning more about the harmful effects of vaping, writing a paper about that. They can choose to be ticketed by the police as well. It was mostly talking about the interventions that learning about it are having in terms of impact”, said Brooke Moore, Pediatric Pulmonologist at Children’s Minnesota.

To try and cut into the amount of cases they are seeing throughout the country, those putting on the panel stress how important it is going town to town.

“From a public health perspective there is this initial perception that vaping was safe and that was because of a lack of data and as we see more people effected in a negative way I think it’s on us as physicians to impact the greater good”, said Moore.

If you missed the forum that took place Friday, click here to see tips on how to help your kids remain vape free.