As global concern about the health effects of vaping grows, some Guyanese vapers have stopped using the popular electronic cigarettes while others remain unconcerned even as some stores report that sales of the product have increased in the past months.
In the last several weeks, concerns have been growing about the use of the e-cigarettes after several deaths were reported. In the US, Reuters reported that at least seven previously-healthy people have died from using e-cigarettes, with at least 380 cases of severe lung damage reported throughout the country. Hundreds more cases are being investigated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC defines e-cigarettes as devices that deliver an aerosol to the user by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals. E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver marijuana or other substances.
India yesterday became the latest country to ban the sale of e-cigarettes. Reuters reported that US health regulators have also signalled plans to stop the sale of all flavoured e-cigarettes even as New York and Michigan have banned such products.
Reuters said that the CDC is studying use of both nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, to determine the cause. Although the illness can cause a fever and other symptoms that suggest an infection, patients do not respond to antibiotics, and doctors believe they are suffering from a chemical injury.
Stabroek News spoke to several local vapers yesterday and none reported having experienced the symptoms described.
A report by the Scientific American, which was published on September 17th, highlighted that experts are perplexed about what is causing the outbreak of the mysterious vaping-related lung illnesses. Public health officials have advised that persons desist from vaping until the exact cause of the illnesses are determined. There have also been reports of e-cigarettes exploding and according to a report by the BBC, a 24-year-old man from Texas died when his e-cigarette’s battery exploded, sending shards of metal into his face and neck and severing an artery. Other reports said that persons suffered broken jaws, loss of teeth and severe burns when their e-cigarettes exploded.
Thus far, there have been no reports of any such incident or vaping-related illness in Guyana but some local vapers told this newspaper that since reading about the illnesses that are supposedly vaping-related in other countries, they have desisted from using the e-cigarettes.
A resident of Georgetown, who wished not to be named, said, “Since I read online about people dying and the illnesses that people say stem from vaping, I have stopped using it (e-cigarettes) but as it relates to lung cancer, I believe that alcohol or excessive smoking obviously contributes immensely to that so they shouldn’t say that it (vaping) is causing lung cancer.” The 24-year-old, who also said that she smokes “a lot,” revealed that she doesn’t vape often and would only indulge in the practice when she goes to bars.
Consuming
Another vaper, Dwight Ward, who prefers vaping over consuming alcohol or smoking, expressed similar sentiments. Ward revealed that he too has stopped vaping since reports about vaping-related illnesses and exploding e-cigarettes emerged. Before that, the teen said, he enjoyed vaping so much that when he woke up, he would pick up his fully charged e-cigarettes and vape. He said he prefers vaping because it has a lot of flavours to choose from and it makes him feel “really good and nice” and because it was not “real smoking.”
“But now I hearing that it causes damage to the body, I stopped,” the teenager added. He further revealed that many of his friends also indulge in the practice but haven’t stopped despite the recent reports. “They like it so they do it a lot. It’s a thing us teenagers do at this time of our life because we like doing it and it’s cool. It’s something that we like to do and we enjoy it, probably because of the different flavours, which is what probably grabs our attention. It is relaxing and takes me to a place of peace,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, other persons are unconcerned about vaping-related illnesses and continue to use the e-cigarettes. One person said, “I don’t vape much; only occasionally like when I go out at nights and I don’t believe everything I hear in the news ‘cause they might be wrong.” He went on to say that there is a possibility that the reports are true but he will not focus on it. In addition, he stated that he only uses the “original” e-cigarettes and believes that the ones that are exploding are those that are being sold cheaply. Further, he said, he hasn’t experienced any of the symptoms linked to lung damage caused by vaping throughout the course of him using the e-cigarettes.
Another youth, who did not want to be named, said, “I am aware of the illness associated with vaping but I still use it because it relieves my anxiety and frustration sometimes. It’s better than smoking cigarettes to be honest because it has no tar and it is not addictive.” He disclosed that he uses the original e-cigarette and he does not suffer any aftereffects of vaping. Meanwhile, another youth said that he vapes for “fun” doesn’t smoke cigarettes and even prefers vaping over consuming alcohol even though he only vapes occasionally. In relation to the recent reports of vaping-related illnesses, he said, “I am aware of the illnesses so that’s why I vape with zero nicotine and I have never experienced any of the symptoms that are said to be associated with vaping.”
Meantime, an 18-year-old female said that she is aware of the vaping-related illnesses and continued vaping but recently stopped because it got “boring.” She disclosed that she did it once a day but wasn’t addicted to it. “To me, it was lame,” she explained.
Sales personnel who work in stores that sell e-cigarettes, disclosed that they have seen an increase in sales of the product in the past few months. One salesperson said that mostly young persons tend to buy at least three e-cigarettes whenever they come to purchase the product. Another salesperson from another store, although reluctant to comment, said that most of their sales comes from the e-cigarettes or flavours. Meanwhile, yet another said, “vape tek over cigarettes. I find that vape pen sells a lot these days. One week we sell a lot or sometimes well, we don’t sell but a lot of people come here to buy.” He disclosed that people usually buy the non-nicotine flavour and the store only sells the original brand. “We don’t sell them cheap ones, which I think is the one that is exploding in other countries,” he added.
Stabroek News was unable to elicit a comment yesterday from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud on vaping.
