Vaping among students a concern for health officials

ALBANY – With more than 1,600 cases of lung injury and at least 34 deaths reported from the use of vaping products around the country, local health officials are addressing the issue by talking with school students.

“I’ve been getting a lot of requests from schools to come out and talk about the harms of vaping and what they (students) can do to quit,” said Ebonee Kirkwood, tobacco cessation specialist for the Southwest Georgia Health District. “There has been an increase in concern in the school system.”

Students have been asking questions about vaping and e-cigarettes during the sessions, even those who say they are not using the products, and often are surprised by the information, she said.

“I can see from the look on their faces, because there’s a lot they didn’t know about it,” Kirkwood said.

Of the 34 deaths attributed to vaping and e-cigarette use recorded as of Oct. 22, two have occurred in Georgia, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths also have been confirmed in 23 other states.

Of the 1,604 deaths, in cases where ages are known, 14% are under the age of 18, and 40% are 18 to 24 years old.

Of those patients for whom the product use is known, about 86% reported using some form of THC substance, and 34% used exclusively those types of products. About 11% reported using only nicotine-containing products.

“The recommendations still stand, in general,” Kirkwood said. “We don’t know what the ingredients are, the compounds are, that are causing the lung injuries. We’re recommending that people refrain from using vaping products while the investigation is going on.

“It is our recommendation that people don’t vape.”

Among Dougherty County public school students, vaping seems to be relatively low, compared to other systems in the area. Among students, less than 7% of 12th graders reported using one of the products at least once within the previous 30 days, according to an annual student health survey released by the Georgia Department of Education.

Out of 4,693 students who answered the question in grades 6 through 12, 26 reported using the product daily over the previous month.

In Lee County, a little more than 20% of 12th-graders reported using one of the products at least once within the previous 30 days and nearly 9% – 25 out of 281 who responded – used them daily during that period.

Even though most of the cases of lung illnesses encountered so far involve THC-infused products, which are not legal in Georgia, Kirkwood said that there is a risk for those who use only tobacco.

“Vaping any type of tobacco product is not good for adolescents at all, not safe at all,” she said.

In her discussions with students, Kirkwood has learned that some young users have been swayed by advertising, but there are other reasons.

“My response from a lot of them is they’re seeing it at home,” she said. “Their environment is a factor in their use of these products.”

Nationally, the number of 17- and 18-year-olds who vape increased by 78% since 2017, she said.

Resources for those looking to stop using tobacco, including vaping, include Ready to Quit, which can be accessed through the tobacco quit line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867). The free service is available to those who are 13 and older.

Phone apps available include This is Quitting and quitSTART.