Our country is coming to grips with the vaping crisis, and the only thing to address it legally is at the federal level.
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Our country is coming to grips with the vaping crisis, and the only thing to address it legally is at the federal level.
We wrote about vaping in September, and the situation has gotten much worse since then. According to the Center for Disease Control, 2,051 cases of vaping-associated lung injuries have been reported through Nov. 5. All states have reported injuries, except Alaska. Thirty-nine deaths have been reported in 24 states.
A teenager in Michigan whose lungs had severe damage from vaping received a double lung transplant in October, in a procedure that doctors say saved his life.
Vaping is the process of using a battery-operated, hand-held vaporizer, which simulates some aspects of smoking without burning tobacco. The vaporizer heats a liquid, typically containing propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, flavorings and other additives.
Although vaping has been marketed as a safe alternative to adults hooked on cigarette smoking, vaping has become devastatingly popular among teenagers. In a recent survey, one third of the state’s high school seniors reported using e-cigarettes in 2018. According to national data, 5 million children use e-cigarettes, compared with 8 million adults.
Some states are taking action to raise the legal age of buying vaping products, but in our opinion, that does little good. If products are legal in one state and not the next, the flow of products across state lines will be very easy. And purchases by phone or online and delivered by mail or other carrier would be even easier.
No, only a change in federal law will make a difference. And while raising the age from 18 to 21 sounds like it would help only young adults, it actually would sharply reduce usage by younger teenagers, who today get them through legal purchases by older teenagers.
Congress isn’t known for quick action on anything, but this could be an opportunity to do so, providing it doesn’t turn into a Republican vs. Democrat issue.
Quick action by Congress and the President to raise the legal age would be extremely good for our nation’s health.
