Daily Archives: April 12, 2024

OSF HealthCare and the American Heart Association (AHA) are collaborating to enhance the educational materials available in the AHAs STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) toolkit. Its fitting that as the American College of Cardiology recently published a new study showing vaping nicotine could lead to an increase in heart failure, one of the new OSF STEAM activities focuses on showing how vaping and smoking cigarettes can restrict breathing.

The American Heart Associations STEAM Toolkit is available to schools that participate in the Associations in-school initiatives, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge, and now include three new activities created by the AHA and OSF STEAM:

The effects of vaping/smoking on the lungs

The concept of a heart attack and influences

The importance of hydration and avoiding sugary beverages

These engaging, interactive activities and resources are designed to support middle and high school educators who want to integrate STEAM lessons into classrooms across the country, said Nol Adams, vice president, Academic Collaborations and Operations for OSF HealthCare. This groundbreaking collaboration will also nurture and inspire a pipeline of aspiring innovative, future health care professionals.

Through the OSF STEAM lessons, students, families and staff will learn valuable life skills, including how to make smart food choices, the importance of avoiding vaping/tobacco products and the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR. This toolkit is available to schools that participate in the Kids Heart Challenge/American Heart Challenge programs. Currently, more than 15,000 schools across the country participate in the challenges, engaging 14 million students.

The OSF STEAM lessons were chosen because studies have linked smoking/vaping with a high risk for respiratory diseases. E-cigarette or vaping product use is associated with injuries resulting in the hospitalization of 2,800 e-cig users in 2020 alone.Federal government studies also show that nearly half (46%) of all added sugars consumed by individuals aged 2 and older in the U.S. come from sugary drinks, including soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, and energy drinks.Added sugars raise the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and toothdecay.

To learn more about the American Heart Associations in-school initiatives, or to take the first step in getting these resources in your school, visit heart.org/getstarted.

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OSF adds more STEAM to American Heart Association's anti-vaping/smoking and nutrition efforts - Newsroom OSF HealthCare

Nationwide, store shelves are filled with vape products, almost all from China, that havent been inspected or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. When frustrated parents see teens with disposable vape pens, the vast majority of these pens fall into this category.

Why are they in the stores in the first place? Critics say its because the FDA hasnt done its job authorizing legit vaping products, leaving the unregulated market to meet consumer demand.

Now some states are trying to fill the void, creating registries of authorized vaping products that can be sold within their jurisdictions. However, advocates for local mom-and-pop retailers and national harm reduction policy say these states actions are making matters worse.

Vape registries exist in three states: Alabama, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The Florida legislature passed a vape registry bill this year, which awaits the governors signature, and South Carolinas Senate recently passed a similar bill.

Twenty-three companies are listed on Louisianas registry of approved products, and most are big-name, international companies such as Juul Labs and R.J. Reynolds.

Meanwhile, according to a letter to the FDA from a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, fewer than 50 of the more than 26 million premarket tobacco product applications submitted since 2009 have been authorized.

Many unreviewed applications are from local retailers making custom vape products and flavors for their customers. Theyre stuck in the back of the line. And then theres the public health aspect of the FDAs foot-dragging.

Remarkably, it has also authorized a total of only 16 Modified Risk Tobacco Products for only four unique products and their accessories, the senators added.

Their point, one shared by many public health professionals, is that e-cigarettes and vaping provide a lower-risk alternative to traditional cigarette use. Getting smokers to become vapers may not be ideal. Still, it would be a far better outcome for Americas health care system than if they were to continue smoking traditional cigarettes.

Originally posted here:

Vape registries hurt local retailers, are bad health policy | Commentary - The Post and Courier

Young man (left) and young woman using e-vaporiser or vape (Photos: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE First-time offenders in schools and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) caught buying, using or possessing e-vaporisers or vapes can now be fined up to S$2,000.

From 1 January to 31 March this year, schools and IHLs have referred around 250 such cases to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), said HSA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a joint press release on Tuesday (9 April).

The two authorities added that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will be notified when students are caught by HSA or other enforcement agencies outside school settings for vaping offences.

According to the authorities, IHLs have been reviewing their vaping sanctions, which include corrective work orders or mandatory community service. Students from autonomous universities caught possessing or peddling vapes may also have their hostel privileges revoked.

Schools and IHLs will continue their regular detection and enforcement efforts through internal reporting channels and campus patrols, said HSA and MOH.

"For students who are caught vaping, in addition to the penalty imposed by HSA, schools and IHLs will continue to mete out consequences through existing disciplinary frameworks, such as suspension or caning (for boys in schools)," said the authorities.

"Students caught vaping will also be placed on cessation support programmes where counsellors will guide them through their cessation journey."

Where appropriate, MOE will continue to support enforcement efforts at IHLs, which include joint enforcement operations by HSA and autonomous universities.

In addition to enforcement efforts, schools and IHLs are working with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to step up on anti-vaping messages in educational materials and preventive programmes.

These programmes include QuitLine, a tele-counselling service, as well as on-site counselling by Student Health Advisors. Through these sessions, youths learn about the harmful effects of smoking and vaping, and pick up ways to quit and manage withdrawal symptoms.

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In 2023, about 2,350 youths participated in these programmes, of which 38 per cent have either reduced or quit smoking and/or vaping after one month after counselling.

"MOE, together with HPB, has communicated to staff and students on Singapores firmer stance against vaping and step-up in enforcement. Parents have also been informed," said the authorities.

From 1 January to 31 March, more than 2,200 people have been caught for possession or use of e-vaporisers. Of them, 1,950 people were caught in public areas, such as the central business district, entertainment outlets and around shopping centres, said the authorities.

HSA also disrupted several illegal vape distribution networks, and seized more than S$7 million worth of vapes and components in total in the first quarter of 2024.

Joint operations were also conducted by HSA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints and Changi Airport. To date, 40 e-vaporiser-related cases were detected at the borders: 10 people were caught smuggling e-vaporisers into Singapore, while 30 were found to be in possession of e-vaporisers.

In 2023, 7,838 people were caught for possession or use of e-vaporisers, a 60 per cent increase from 4,916 in 2022. HSA and MOH said the rise in cases were part of an intensified multi-agency effort by the ministry and partner government agencies to enforce against the use of e-vaporisers.

More than 3,000 e-vaporiser-related online listings were also removed last year, a "significant increase" from 2,600 online listings removed in 2022. HSA and MOH have notified 16 social media services and e-commerce platforms on 11 March to remind them that hosting vaping-related content is against the law.

"The onus is on social media services and e-commerce platforms to exercise due diligence and proactively remove vaping-related content. Enforcement actions may be taken against the platforms that are found with inadequate processes to detect and remove vaping-related contents," the authorities said.

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Students caught for first-time vaping offences could face up to S$2,000 fine, according to MOH and HSA - Yahoo Singapore News

The Public Health Agency (PHA)isurging parents and guardians to talk to young people about the dangers of vaping unknown substances as it could make them seriously ill or even be fatal.

The PHA is focussing in particular on the dangers of vaping Spice, a synthetic drugwhich mimics the effects of cannabis.Spice is a nickname for a substance containing one or more of a group of drugs called synthetic cannabinoids.

Kevin Bailey, Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: Synthetic cannabinoids are relatively new drugs and evidence is still coming out about harms associated with their use. However, we do know that people can have severe reactions after using them, and using with vapes could make them even more unsafe.

Sometimes the contents or strength of products within vapes cannot be fully verified, so the effects and duration of those effects can be unpredictable and change depending on the product and type of synthetic cannabinoid.

There are hundreds of different synthetic cannabinoid structures, and some are stronger and more toxic than others, so there is no way of knowing what you are taking. The dangers of taking these substances also increase if you add other drugs to the mix including alcohol, prescription medication and other illicit substances.

You can become dependent on synthetic cannabinoids with regular use. For some people who use them frequently, dependence can develop quickly.

Inhaling synthetic cannabinoids, including spice, through a vape is extremely dangerous for young people.

ThePHA continues towork with community and voluntary organisations, local Councils, the PSNI, the education sector and Health and Social Care partners to raise awareness of these issues and share information.

For young people, using substances is particularly dangerous during a time when they are still developing physically and mentally, with drugs having the potential to damage their cognitive and emotional development.

Kevin continued: Parents and guardians can play an important role in helping young people understand the risks, so they dont choose to take drugs without realising the harm they could be exposing themselves to. Dont wait until theres a problem before you decide to talk.

It is important to advise young people that regardless of what they have been told, even by a close friend, that it is impossible to know what is contained in these substances. All drugs, whether alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription medication, carry risks.

Helpful tips for Parents/Guardians:

Do

Dont

The PHA would also emphasise to young people that if theyre with someone who has taken drugs and has become unwell, they need to get them medical help immediately.

It might be frightening and they will be scared of getting into trouble, but they need to look out for their friends, stay with them and get them help it could save their lives.

If you think you or someone you know might have a problem with alcohol and/or drugs and would like to get help, please visitwww.DrugsAndAlcoholNI.infofor information on support services near you.

A range of services is also available to you if you are affected by someone elses drinking and/or drug use, regardless of whether or not your loved one is receiving help for his or her alcohol and/or drug problem.

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Parents urged to talk to young people about vaping Spice dangers | HSC Public Health Agency - Public Health Agency

If youve been thinking of quitting smoking or vaping, theres no time like the present. Smoking remains the single, largest preventable source of death and illness in the world. Regardless of age, smokers can greatly reduce their risk of disease, including lung cancer, by quitting.

The RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery offers FREE tobacco and nicotine treatment services, which include working with a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist and free nicotine replacement therapies including patches, gum and lozenges (no insurance required).

Our Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialists continue to provide services while practicing safe social distancing. Treatment sessions are currently being conducted via phone and web, with virtual group/individual counseling and delivery of nicotine replacement therapies via mail.

The Nicotine and Tobacco Recovery meetings are designed to help people stay quit and offer a resource for those who are starting or thinking about beginning their quit journey. Led by a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, each group will focus on topics and strategies for dealing with triggers and relapse prevention. Join us for free, regardless of where you are with your journey towards nicotine and tobacco recovery!

New Schedule: Mondays 7pm 7:45pm ET Zoom Link Meeting ID: 985 9718 6060 Password: smokefree (all lower case) One tap mobile: +13126266799,,98597186060#

Grupos de Apoyo de Habla Hispana para La Recuperacin de la Nicotina y El Tabaco Contctenos hoy para aprender ms: English and Spanish PHONE: (833) 795-QUIT EMAIL: quitcenter@rwjbh.org WEBSITE: rwjbh.org/nicotinerecovery VIST At: 442 State Highway 35, Eatontown, New Jersey

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Events - Free Program to Quit Smoking or Vaping - Brookdale Community College Newsroom

The anti-vaping campaign uses bright colours like the vape packages (Image: Powys Teaching Health Board)

A campaign has been launched in Wales to warn young people of the dangers of vaping.

The initiative introduces a fresh visual aesthetic on its messaging, leveraging the bright colours and fruit flavours commonly utilized in vape device marketing.

The campaign's intention is to alter perceptions about vaping, which is often deemed cool and safe, particularly among the youth.

Recent findings from the School Health Research Network (SHRN) highlight that whilst youth smoking rates continue to decrease, the prevalence of vaping is increasing.

Across Wales, weekly vape users make up 5 per cent of the younger population.

Meanwhile, one in five adolescents in Powys admits to having experimented with vaping.

According to Mererid Bowley, Executive Director of Public Health, Powys Teaching Health Board which launched the campaign alongside Powys County Council: "It is illegal for those under 18 years to buy nicotine vapes or to have them bought for them.

"Vaping is not without harm."

She supplemented her statement with a plea to parents, urging them to widely share the campaign and discuss the potential dangers of vaping with their children.

She said: "We simply dont have enough evidence to know the long-term impacts that vaping has on our health and wellbeing.

"Developing brains shouldnt be exposed to nicotine, which poses a risk of addiction.

"The simple message is, if you dont smoke, then you shouldnt start vaping.

"I would urge parents to share the campaign far and wide, and to discuss the risks of vaping with their children, to raise awareness of its potential harms, and support preventing a future public health crisis".

Contributing to the narrative, Matt Perry, Powys County Councils chief officer place, explained the crucial need for a shift in the publics interpretation of vaping.

He said: "Just because the device is brightly coloured and fruit flavoured, does not mean it comes without risks.

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"It comes with a list of its very own side effects and health implications.

"This campaign is reflective of our strong partnership approach to protecting the health of our residents".

For those seeking more details about the campaign or assistance in quitting vaping, resources can be found online via the Powys Teaching Health Board website.

The campaign, co-utilising graphics from Crickhowell High School students and members of the Brecon and Llandrindod Wells Youth Club, will be publicised across various platforms including social media, operational premises, secondary schools, and bus stops throughout Powys.

Link:

Vaping trend among Welsh youth focus of anti-vaping campaign - Yahoo News UK