Massachusetts Legislators' Rush to Judgment on Vaping Is Destined to Cause More Harm

Jeffrey A. SingerReacting to a media-fueled panic surrounding teen vaping, Massachusetts legislators this weekbanned the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol, and levied a 75 percent excise tax on vaping products. This was portrayed as “a forceful response to an epidemic in which one out of every five Massachusetts high-schoolers use e-cigarettes.” In reality, it is an impulsive act that ignores the evidence and endangers public health.Teen vaping rates should not be viewed in a vacuum. According to theNational Youth Tobacco Survey teen tobacco smoking is at anall-time low. Professor Michael Siegel of Boston University School of Public Health reports a strongnegative correlation between teen vaping and teen tobacco smoking. In other words, e-cigarettes are probably behind the drop in teen tobacco smoking.Numerousscientific studies show that vaping is a very effective way to help tobacco smokers quit smoking. And while vaping might not be completely harmless, tobacco smoking is a proven killer. According to Public Health England e-cigarettes are “95 percent less harmful” than tobacco cigarettes. And research finds e-cigarettes are “twice as effective” as nicotine patches or gum in helping smokers quit.There were an estimated11 million vapers in the U.S. in 2018, and as of late November there have been anestimated 2,172 cases of vaping-related illnesses with 44 deaths reported. Forperspective, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states 16 ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs