The growing industry of vaping and e-cigarettes and a dramatic increase in the use of such products, especially by teenagers, gave rise to concerns about the danger they might expose to society. There has been a lot of debate and public resonance about this problem in recent years, leading to controversy, myths, and misconceptions. Researches from many universities and medical organizations have conducted studies that are aimed to shed light on this issue and provide evidence for scientific discussion. These studies have shown the negative consequences associated with the use of the substances in question (Glantz & Bareham, 2018). E-cigarettes and vaping pose a substantial threat to the public, making it important that the medical community educates patients dispelling common misconceptions regarding the subject, and the government takes measures to alleviate the danger.
Despite the amount of public attention that this problem has gotten recently, the level of public awareness of the effect vaping and e-cigarettes have on humans remains low. This problem is largely due to the spread of misconceptions regarding the subject in mass media and advertising of the products by tobacco companies (Glantz & Bareham, 2018). Personally, before this discussion, I knew the basic information about the negative effect of using vaping and e-cigarettes on a person’s health but did not fully realize the degree of the danger. As recent research suggests, the problem has already led to negative public consequences, and it keeps growing (Glantz & Bareham, 2018). In the face of the threat, it is necessary to promote collaboration of different government and non-government organizations to thoroughly address this question and develop a complex long-term strategy to handle the issue.
The medical community has a unique opportunity to contribute to the situation because doctors have a chance to work with patients face-to-face, and their words have the strength of most people. There are many myths regarding the issue, for instance, contrary to popular belief, using e-cigarettes instead of regular ones lowers the chance to quit smoking (Kalkhoran & Glantz, 2016). Providing people with evidence-based information about the actual effect of e-cigarettes is critical to fighting public misunderstanding of the problem. It is also necessary for medics who work with users to outline all possible health effects and discourage people from further use.
Government actions and regulations play a central role in fighting the problem, and continuous improvements in the course are required to ensure the effectiveness of the measures. To prevent teens from accessing and purchasing e-cigarettes, the authorities need to work on legislation that will prohibit the distribution of the products in areas around schools and universities. It is also justified to higher taxes on e-cigarettes to financially discourage teenagers, who are usually limited in purchasing power, from buying them (Glantz & Bareham, 2018). To make the product less palpable and attractive to young people, the government might need to put restrictions and increase control over the use of flavoring. Public authorities might also consider taking measures to limit the ability to advertise e-cigarettes. Support of educational programs that fight the positive image of the product can also help reduce the popularity of such substances among teenagers.
Recent research provided the community with sufficient evidence of the negative consequences of using e-cigarettes, showing the necessity to respond to the growing problem. Solution for the problem might require a multifaceted approach that would include adjusting regulations for advertising and distributing the products as well as educating people about the health consequences. Both the medical community and the government have already taken some steps to alleviate the threat, but further work is required.
References
Glantz, S. A., & Bareham, D. W. (2018). E-cigarettes: Use, effects on smoking, risks, and policy implications.Annual review of public health, 39, 215-235. Web.
Kalkhoran, S., & Glantz, S. A. (2016). E-cigarettes and smoking cessation in real-world and clinical settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 4(2), 116-128. Web.