Soundview Drug Free Coalition exposes vaping dangers
BY ROBERT WIRSING
The Soundview Community
Drug Free Coalition is revving
up its efforts to educate people
on the dangers of vaping.
The coalition has initiated a
new campaign warning youth
of the dangers associated with
e-cigarettes and other vaping
products.
Anne Johnson, coalition
chairwoman and Soundview
resident, noted that only a year
ago, there were hardly any vaping
shops in the community,
however there are now over a
dozen in the community and
near local schools.
Dr. Jose Rivera, a substance
abuse prevention expert, gave
a presentation discussing the
widespread use of vaping products
in junior high and high
schools.
According to Rivera, the
process, known as ‘juuling,’
refers to one of the e-cigarette
products baring a striking resemblance
to a laptop’s fl ash
drive.
Juul uses nicotine salts, or
‘protonated nicotine,’ which exist
in leaf-based tobacco rather
than free-base nicotine.
One pod inserted in a Juul
device and consumed within
15 minutes is the equivalent of
smoking a full pack of 20 cigarettes.
“The adolescent brain is
already susceptible to addictive
substances and the use of
this concentrated amount of
nicotine only makes the addiction
more likely to occur,” explained
Rivera.
Rivera said that students
refer to their school bathrooms
as ‘Juulrooms’ as it’s often
where their peers can be found
juuling.
According to the U.S. Surgeon
General, e-cigarettes can
contain such harmful ingredients
as ultrafi ne particles
which can be inhaled deep
into the lungs; fl avorants like
diacetyl, a chemical linked
to serious lung disease; volatile
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 18 ANUARY 4-10, 2019 BTR
organic compounds and
heavy metals like nickel, tin
and lead.
Health risks include increasing
potential addiction;
long-term harm to brain development
including mood disorders
and permanent lowering
of impulse control, secondhand
exposure and leading to
the usage of such tobacco products
as regular cigarettes, cigars,
hookahs and smokeless
tobacco.
E-cigarettes, also called ‘ecigs,’
‘e-hookah,’ ‘e-pens’ and
‘vape pens,’ have seen their
popularity among young people
grow dramatically in the
past fi ve years.
The coalition also warns of
two dangerous vaping methods
known as ‘dabbing’ and
‘dripping.’
This is a specifi c and dangerous
method of vaping butane
hash oil.
BHO is a concentrated cannabis
extract utilizing butane
as a solvent to release cannabinoids,
terpenes and tetrahydrocannabinol.
Dabbing combines the impact
of a pack of tobacco with
marijuana extract which is
signifi cantly stronger than
marijuana.
Dripping is the act of placing
the e-liquid directly onto
the device’s hot coils to produce
thicker, more fl avorful
smoke.
Dripping may expose users
to elevated levels of nicotine
and to such carcinogens
as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.
SCDFC reported that in
2016, nearly 4 million U.S. middle
and high school students
used tobacco products while
half used two or more tobacco
products.
The coalition adopted a resolution
to conduct a community
wide education campaign
for junior high and high school
students, their parents and
grandparent caretakers.
SCDFC and the Phipps
Community Center host educational
programs for youth
residing in Soundview and its
surrounding communities.
The coalition is considering
proposing legislation that
would prevent vaping shops
from operating within a certain
distance of schools or educational
facilities.
Nicotine in Juul equals the total amount of nicotine in pack of cigarettes.
Photo courtesy of SCDFC
At fi rst glance, a Juul device and
its USB charging dock appear as a
simple USB fl ash drive.
Photo courtesy of SCDFC