NEW JERSEY—A task force appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy recently called for a statewide ban on all flavored e-cigarettes—part of a statewide strategy to address a vaping crisis that counts almost 30 deaths in 21 states, and over 1,300 cases of lung illnesses related to vaping nationwide.
Flavored vaping products and e-cigarettes have grown exponentially in popularity among young adults—including teens and pre-teens—over the last two years, with vaping and e-cigarette use far outstripping traditional tobacco use among teens.
Over 25% use in high school
“E-cigarette use among high school students nationwide increased to 27.5% in 2019 compared to 11.7% in 2017 and 20.8% in 2018. Altogether 5 million middle and high school students now use e-cigarettes,” according to newly released data from 2019’s National Youth Tobacco Survey
Most of the deaths nationwide appeared to be related to ingestion of tetrahydrocannibinol, or THC-containing products. THC is the psychoactive component in marijuana that produces a “high” feeling.
Preliminary federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigations suggest THC-products “obtained off-the-street” or from friends, family and illicit dealers are mostly linked to lung injuries and deaths associated with vaping.
In late September, New Jersey reported its first death from vaping-related illness: a woman from North Jersey who died in mid-August. No further information was released.
“This death underscores the potential dangers associated with vaping,” said acting state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli in a statement Oct. 1
The CDC currently has not identified a cause for lung illnesses or deaths, but health agencies have noted the presence of vitamin E acetate in many people with lung illnesses.
The vitamin E compound was found in vape-related products purchased online and from so-called “black market” dealers selling THC-infused vaping products, said state health officials.
No linkage has been found between the vitamin E acetate and lung injuries, although it is being studied, said health officials.
CDC currently recommends people refrain from using e-cigarette and vaping products that contain THC or nicotine—neither one has been thoroughly investigated or tested, say officials.
Also, officials stress, vaping has not been approved as a smoking-cessation treatment by any federal regulator and few studies exist on its health effects.
Many individuals suffering lung illnesses have vaped marijuana products, but others said they’ve only used standard nicotine-based products.
Federal and state health authorities both note that they cannot rule out additives put into nicotine vaping products as a possible source of lung illnesses and deaths.
Report: Ban flavored e-cigs
Following a recent task force report calling for a statewide ban on flavored e-cigarette products, Murphy warned residents to stop vaping until more information is available.
In early October, the state DOH was investigating 32 reports of severe lung illness statewide related to vaping, mostly males between the ages of 15 and 51.
No lung illnesses or deaths were attributed to products sold in New Jersey’s medical marijuana dispensaries, officials stressed.
In addition to recommending legislative action to ban flavored e-cigarettes and vaping products, the New Jersey Electronic Smoking Device Task Force provided a comprehensive strategy to reduce vaping use such as increasing penalties for unauthorized sales and restricting online sales, and other efforts including prohibiting sales of covert vaping products and strengthening retail point-of-sale practices.
‘Lung disease startling’
“The recent spate of lung disease and deaths across the country due to electronic smoking device use is startling,” said Murphy. “In just 21 days, the Electronic Smoking Device Task Force has set forth a comprehensive list of recommendations to protect New Jersey residents from the inherent dangers associated with vaping.”
“My administration will act swiftly to implement the task force recommendations and we ask our legislative partners to do the same. We must work together to protect the health and safety of New Jersey’s youth,” he added.
Other task force recommendations included uniform regulation of retail outlets selling electronic smoking devices, creating a central state registry of retail vaping establishments, enhanced interagency efforts to reduce e-cigarettes and vaping usage, a state DOH rapid response team, expanding taxes on vaping products, making vapefactsnj.com into a statewide repository, requiring point-of-sales age verification; a possible menthol cigarette ban, promotion of tobacco-cessation therapies, and a ban on vape products with nicotine concentration above 3%.
‘Nicotine highly addictive’
“From a public health perspective, nicotine, a chemical considered as addictive as heroin or cocaine, is highly addictive in any form,” said Persichilli, who chaired the Electronic Smoking Device Task Force.
“Appealing to young people through flavored e-cigarettes must be stopped. Our overriding conclusion is that electronic smoking devices pose a threat to public health, particularly the health and well-being of youth,” said Persichilli.
On Oct. 14, a nationally recognized speaker on drug abuse, detection and prevention, Sgt. Timothy Shoemaker, a Ramsey Police Department supervisor and former DARE officer, provided presentations at Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest. Shoemaker spoke to students and then to parents in an evening program.
Shoemaker offered an educational program entitled “Vaping: What’s in the Mist?” at Pascack Hills High School last November sponsored by the Hills Valley Coalition for Resilient Youth.
Parents then seemed surprised and shocked how easily vaping pods or cartridges could be altered by youths or black-market suppliers to include numerous unknown and harmful components, including THC, along with other toxic chemicals.
A 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey from FDA and CDC found vaping had increased 78 percent among high school students last year and 48 percent among middle schoolers.
Shoemaker’s rapid fire presentation touched on easy availability of e-cigarette devices, marijuana-infused vapor juices, other cannabis products, drug paraphernalia, bongs, and multi-flavored cannabis juices.
Following Shoemaker’s visit, Northern Valley Regional High School District Superintendent James Santana said although the district has “our share of cases, however, the problem does not appear to be that disruptive.”
He said though CDC characterizes the increase in vaping use among high school students nationwide as an epidemic, he would not use that term to describe the situation at the district’s two regional high schools in Demarest and Old Tappan.
Santana said the district’s policy on vaping “contributes to our low numbers. Students who are found in possession of vape paraphernalia are immediately sent for a medical examination inclusive of a chemical screening and suspended from school,” Santana emailed Northern Valley Press Oct. 14.
Santana said Shoemaker’s presentations are one part of the district’s information efforts to address vaping among youth.
“We also send out information related to the dangers of vaping to all parents and include the topic in our health classes,” he added.
During a previous talk, Shoemaker showed displays of different vaping devices available and stressed that neither e-cigarettes nor vaping devices are risk-free, noting major concerns for teens include damage to the brain, heart and lungs; cancerous tumor development, and pre-term deliveries and stillbirths in pregnant women.
“Most parents don’t even realize that vape devices can, and are, used to inhale methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other devastatingly harmful drugs,” he told parents in November.
He said “there are literally thousands of synthetic and herbal drug compounds that can be added to vapes, often without the user even knowing what they are vaping,” said Shoemaker.
In fact, many vape-related deaths and lung illnesses being investigated are suspected related to unidentified components added mostly to vaping products sold illegally to underage and adult consumers online or via unregulated retail transactions.