“To vape or not to vape?”
This was the question that was posed at the Health Center’s seminar “Truths about E-cigarettes and Vapes” held on April 19. The meeting authored a discussion about different types of vaping pens, how they work, and their effect on the body.
Kathleen Wong, who hosted the seminar, emphasized the risks and dangers associated with e-cigarettes. She listed many studies that explained how vaping can damage the mouth, lungs and skin. Wong also argued that in addition to the negative health effects, vaping can lead people wanting stronger and different things to smoke.
However, some people disagreed and although only 10 people attended, there was tension in the air.
“This campaign is putting commercials out that say that teens and people who vape are three times more likely to pick up a cigarette. But, there’s no proof. I’m around thousands of people who vape, and these kids don’t want to smoke. That’s why they vape,” said Mike Falconer, a vape juice manufacturer.
He stated that most studies against vaping are not legitimate. He believes that yes, young adults are vaping, but vaping actually keeps people from wanting to do more.
Wong responded that that if parents vape, then young people will also vape. She mentioned the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act — which requires liquid nicotine products to be sold in child-resistant containers — as a consequence to growing concern that young children could easily access these harmful nicotine products, through of-age users around them.
“I vape. It stops me from smoking two packs a day,” Falconer said. “My kids are my responsibility and I keep it from them. The bottom line is this campaign is slanderous as a manufacturer who cares about people who want to stop smoking.”
Angie Saunders, who also attended the meeting, disagreed with Falconer. She believes that even though vaping may stop people from smoking cigarettes, we can not ignore its own health concerns.
“We can’t say a chemical is not gonna harm it. Our lungs are so sensitive, of course it has an effect,” Saunders said.
The rest of the seminar was peppered with comments such as “abstinence is best,” “it is no different than having a prescription of narcotics,” and “the people making the studies are manipulating the data.”
