To the editor:
As a Certified Nurse Practitioner for the Knox County Community Health Center, I am concerned about the significant increase in vape use by our teens and young adults in the community.
I would like to help educate others on the dangers of vaping and electronic cigarette use as many of my patients are often unaware. With increased awareness and limiting access, we can help guarantee a healthier future for our children.
In the past several months many of you may have noticed that vaping devices are not allowed for use in public places and businesses along with cigarettes. It is important not to lose sight of the fact that there is still a teen vaping epidemic in our state.
For more than 10 years, teenage vaping has become a rapidly growing issue. According to the Ohio Department of Health, 35.1% of high school students and 16.6% of middle school students in Ohio have used an e-cigarette or vaping device.
Did you know that vaping devices are the most used tobacco product in Ohio and that many teens are not even aware that they are inhaling nicotine and other harmful chemicals when they vape?
A lot of people, including teens, think that vaping is a safe alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. This is not the case. Vapes are addictive, contain toxic chemicals, and have known health risks.
Whatʼs worse, the tobacco and vaping industry figured out how to hook teens to these harmful products – through flavors that appeal to kids, like cotton candy and Skittles! Of the Ohio teens who consume tobacco products, including vape products, 85% report using a flavored tobacco product.
We must ensure that vape shops and tobacco stores in Knox County are not selling these harmful products to teens and young adults under 21 years of age.
Also, parents/family members need to monitor teens’ access to online sites that sell vaping devices, as well as, not purchase these products for them.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Gilkey
Nurse practitioner
Knox County Community Health Center