The Bottom Line on Vaping Today
Recent reports indicate that in addition to fruit juices and flavors such as menthol and bubble gum, two natural products may be contributing to the issues with vaping: vitamin E and CBD oil. Vitamin E has been found in some vaping cartridges that contain CBD oil. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is the second most abundant cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. It has levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) below the legal limit and is often used for pain relief and psychological distress such as anxiety. I can’t comment on CBD oil; it’s not my area of expertise.
What I do know is that while cannabis is typically inhaled, CBD oil can be administered orally or topically and that’s probably a better delivery system. When any oil is produced, vitamin E is typically added so the oil doesn’t go rancid. In addition, there may be other additives so the CBD doesn’t break down. There’s no research to suggest that the oil or the vitamin E are safe when incinerated. Even if a cold aerosolized process is used, the ingredients are not designed to be administered that way.
Lung tissue is very sensitive. Think of the aerosolized droplets thousands of times larger than individual molecules of vitamin E or omega-3 fatty acids that would be found in blood. Those droplets would create a barrier, making it tough to breathe, whether natural or not. The benefit relies on the absorption and while some would be absorbed quickly, how long would the residue remain? Could it even be removed?
The Bottom Line Today
As I said in the Tuesday Memo, the governor of Michigan banned the sale of flavored vaping products; I think she made the right decision even though she is taking political heat for it. Business interests have interfered in public health initiatives for too long. Do I even have to mention the tobacco industry? And that it has heavily invested in the vaping industry? With the health of a generation at stake, I think taking time to examine the safety and marketing of these products is warranted.
I wish I could say this is the last word on vaping, but this is a rapidly changing health topic. The only vaping that should be allowed is as a method for quitting smoking—not to replace smoking, but as part of a strategy to quit smoking. It should be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration because nicotine is a drug.
As for the rest of what’s being used in vaping products, I think everyone should take a pass. If the industry actually conducts safety testing to discover any health issues for vapers, maybe, but I just don’t see that happening. The burden shouldn’t be on the health industry to prove vaping is bad; the burden should be on the vaping industry to prove it’s safe. We do enough to ourselves already to impair our health. We don’t need to add any more habits that we’ll need to break in the future. If you smoke, there’s no question you should quit. Talk with your doctor about the best way to accomplish that before you start vaping.
What are you prepared to do today?
