Top doctor speaks out against e-cigs

The nation’s top doctor is speaking out against e-cigarettes. In a report released Thursday, the U.S. Surgeon General called the products “among the most commonly used forms of tobacco for U.S. teens.

“These products are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States, surpassing conventional tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and hookahs,” wrote Dr. Vivek H. Murthy.

The report is being criticized by some in the industry for not talking about those who use e-cigs as a way to quit smoking “regular” cigarettes. Will Chao recalls the effect e-cigarettes had on his friend who was addicted to smoking.

“It kind of took her a bit to get going but she eventually started using it fully and stopped smoking,” said Chao. “She got to the point where she was able to weed off vaping and now she doesn’t vape anymore.”

Chao said the chemical breakdown of vaping products is far different than a traditional cigarette.

“There are only three major ingredients in vaping,” said Chao. “There is either propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin and a third option (of) nicotine.”While e-cigarettes don’t carry the cancer-causing tar present in traditional cigarettes, the new report says nicotine is a highly addictive drug that could harm developing adolescent brains.

“The bottom line is that there is no safe use of tobacco products for kids, and those include e-cigarettes,” said Murthy. The report also says e-cig use among high school students has shot up by 900 percent in the last five years and blames targeted ads.

“What we’ve seen is the vast majority of kids, 7 out of 10, are actually seeing these advertisements” said Murthy. “Whether that’s intentional or unintentional, that tells us that we’re not doing a good enough job protecting kids.”

Despite criticism that the report neglects those who credit vaping with helping them quit smoking, the surgeon general is calling for immediate action to include e-cigarettes in smoking bans and to raise taxes on the products.

“I’ve realized that many people are confused about e-cigarettes,” said Murthy. “They don’t recognize that these aren’t harmless products.”

The American Vaping Association called the report “just another politically-motivated attack on an industry that is helping people quit smoking.”