Dreamtime Wellness™

Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind, and Spirit

The Bottom-line: there is no ‘safe’ nicotine product

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September 15th 2019 marked the Great American Smoke-Out. I recently experienced a surge in requests for assistance with ‘smoking cessation.’ Besides this being the time for the annual Great American Smoke-Out, I believe some of this upswing in consultations is due to the reports in the media of the dangers of vaping with the ‘risks of a serious lung disease.’
I was working in tobacco treatment when e-cigarettes first came to the U.S. market in 2007. We were concerned that those that had never even smoked before would begin vaping nicotine, leading to the addiction of a younger generation. No matter what form it comes in, nicotine is the addictive component. E-cigarettes were even touted by some to be ‘safer than cigarettes,’ and ‘a means to stop smoking.’ While that may be true, more research is needed to determine their safety,’ and other means of stopping smoking are available.
This year, 7 deaths have reported in the United States related to serious lung diseases linked to vaping. This has led to calls in the media to ban flavored e-cigarettes, which are seeminlgy targeted at teenagers. The irony of this is how quickly politicians and agencies have talked about banning these products, and yet the Tobacco Industry is allowed to continue to sell knowingly lethal products, that are attributed to almost half a million deaths annually in the United States.
The Bottom Line – there is NO ‘safe’ nicotine or tobacco product. 
Some Important Facts:
  • E-cigarettes usually contain nicotine. Nicotine is what makes tobacco products addictive. Some e-cigarettes that claim to be nicotine-free have been found to contain nicotine.
  • E-cigarettes are harmful for youth, young adults, and pregnant women.
  • E-cigarettes may contain other harmful substances (Eg. heavy metals, flavorings linked to lung disease, small particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, and cancer-causing chemicals).
  • Being near someone using an e-cigarette can expose you to the aerosol and chemicals in it, similar to secondhand smoke from burning cigarettes.
  • 4.7 million middle and high school students use at least one tobacco product, including e-cigarettes.
  • More than 43 million people in the United States smoke cigarettes (about 1 in 5 adults).480,000 deaths each year from smoking-related illness
  • Nearly 40 million U.S. adults still smoke cigarettes
  • Smoking is the #1 preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States
Stopping smoking and use of vaping nicotine products saves lives. Stop Now…, and you will be glad you did!
Contact us with questions and for assistance with smoking cessation: dreamtimewellness@gmail.com. 978-283-4258. Additional assistance can be found by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or at https://smokefree.gov.
Wishing you the best in health, Karen
Sources and For More Information:
  • CDC.gov
  • Smokefree.gov.
  • Cancer.net

 

Karen Pischke BSN, RN, Alumnus CCRN, Author, Speaker, Nurse Researcher, Photographer. Certified Hypnotherapist, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Usui Reiki (Master) Teacher/Komyo Shihan. Owner/Founder of Dreamtime Wellness LLC. Your Bridge to Health. Promoting Optimal Wellness for Mind, Body and Spirit. Karen is a registered nurse with a background in critical care nursing, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac risk factor reduction, wellness and integrative healthcare. Incorporating a collaborative, integrative approach, Karen strives to educate, advocate for, and empower you in your healthcare goals. Providing evidence-based, integrative healthcare services and self-care tools that are safe as well as effective at improving overall health, happiness and wellbeing. DreamtimeWellness.com. Find us on Instagram and  Facebook

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