Hi everyone! As Cancer Action Day events are in full swing, let’s talk about a national priority that has been a priority for years: Tobacco Regulation and Products.
Did you know that according to a study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2021, 18-24-year-olds used e-cigarettes (11.0% or about 3.4 million people)?
According to the American Cancer Society, e-cigarettes (commonly known as vapes) contain a liquid that when heated up, produces an aerosol containing nicotine, which comes directly from tobacco. Besides nicotine, these e-cigarettes also contain volatile organic compounds that irritate the eyes, throat, and nose, cause nausea, and headaches, and can potentially damage your nervous system, liver, and kidneys. E-cigarettes also contain flavoring chemicals that mask the taste of the chemicals inside the e-cigarette. While all of these flavoring chemicals are toxic, some are proven to be more toxic than others. One chemical called diacetyl can be linked to a lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, otherwise known as popcorn lung. Lastly, when e-cigarettes are overheated or the liquid is not reaching the heating element, the aerosol can contain formaldehyde, a commonly known cancer-causing substance.
Smoking, in general, causes 80% of lung cancer deaths and 30% of all cancer deaths.
So what is the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) doing about this?
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is actively advocating for fact-based tobacco control policies at the local, state, and federal levels that aim to improve health outcomes.
ACS CAN is aiming to:
- End the sale of flavored tobacco products (vapes)
- Significantly increase the tax on tobacco products
- Increase access to state Medicaid coverage of programs that help people quit tobacco use
- Enacting smoke-free laws in all workplaces
- Funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
These are just some of the ways ACS CAN is advocating, you can learn more by clicking this link.
How can you help?
By clicking the link below, you can urge the FDA to say no to Big Tobacco’s use of flavors in their products.
Urge the FDA to say “no” to Big Tobacco’s use of flavors in their products!
If you or someone you know is suffering from a nicotine/tobacco addiction and is seeking help, please see the resources below.
https://truthinitiative.org/what-we-do/quit-smoking-tools
https://truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/features/quitlines/index.html