The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a national organization, but its president, Matt Myers, has been paying particular attention to Rhode Island ever since Gov. Gina M. Raimondo banned flavored vaping products in October. The order became permanent in late March.
Myers discusses the governor’s ban, and the potential risks to vapers both young and old during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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PBN: Has there been any evidence that Gov. Raimondo’s ban on flavored vape products has decreased vaping among kids and young people in Rhode Island?
MYERS: While data on youth vaping in Rhode Island has not been released since the governor announced the ban, the most recent data shows that prior to the ban, nearly one-third (30.1%) of high school students in Rhode Island were using e-cigarettes. There is strong evidence that prohibiting flavors will reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to [youths].
Flavored e-cigarettes have fueled the youth e-cigarette epidemic – 97% of youth e-cigarette users report using flavored products, and 70% cite flavors as the reason for their use. By getting rid of flavored products, we are getting rid of the lure that is hooking kids.
As Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the R.I. Department of Health, said at a recent House Finance Committee hearing, “What we are doing is making a strategic decision to act in the health and safety of young people who are targets of marketing by [e-cigarette] companies. … We are in an addiction epidemic, and we need to prevent another generation from being impacted.”
There has been positive feedback from many sources about the impact of Rhode Island’s ban on flavored products. At RIDOH public hearings earlier this year, school counselors shared their heart-rending stories of kids struggling with addictions to flavored e-cigarettes, but also that they are finally seeing fewer kids vaping since the governor’s order took effect. The counselors shared their experiences, including hearing from many kids that the lack of available flavors has contributed to their quitting.
PBN: Is there any data to suggest that the ban, and other efforts to steer young people away from tobacco use in Rhode Island, has helped overall outcomes of COVID-19 in the state?
MYERS: Data on who is getting seriously ill from COVID-19 in the U.S. is still being gathered. We do know that the coronavirus attacks the lungs, and behaviors that weaken the lungs put individuals at greater risk.
The harmful impact of smoking on the lungs is well-documented. There is conclusive evidence that smoking increases the risk for respiratory infections, weakens the immune system and is a major cause of a number of chronic health conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, other lung diseases, heart disease and diabetes. In addition, there is growing evidence that e-cigarette use can also harm lung health. These factors put smokers and vapers at greater risk when confronted with the coronavirus.
There are now also studies out of China, Italy and France that show that smokers and/or former smokers are at an increased risk of the most serious consequences of COVID-19 and early data published by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] suggest that we are seeing the same thing in the United States. Data on vaping have not been collected yet, but in light of the growing body of evidence about the impact of vaping on the lungs, there is reason to be concerned.
To protect their lung health, we urge all smokers and vapers to quit at this critical time. We also urge policymakers to take strong action to reduce smoking and vaping, especially among young people. We applaud Rhode Island for doing so.
PBN: Medical experts continue to say that for the most part, children and younger people do not seem to be getting seriously ill from COVID-19. Are young people who smoke or vape at greater risk from the virus than their peers who do not use tobacco?
MYERS: Young people are far from invulnerable to the coronavirus, as government statistics show the virus is impacting younger people more than expected and some are even becoming seriously ill. Early data from the CDC showed a large percentage of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the U.S. were younger adults, and there have been numerous news reports about younger people who have been infected, become seriously ill and even died.
Adding to these concerns is the fact that youth e-cigarette use has skyrocketed to record highs in the U.S. More than 5.3 million kids now use e-cigarettes, and far too many young people still smoke. Smoking and vaping could well put these young people at greater risk when it comes to COVID-19. At the end of the day, anything that harms your lungs can make you more vulnerable to COVID-19 and that certainly includes young people as well.
PBN: As the coronavirus outbreak reaches its peak, what are experts saying about the value of quitting smoking or vaping right now? Can lungs, particularly in young people, rebound quickly?
MYERS: There is broad consensus across the medical and public health communities that there has never been a better time to quit smoking or vaping in order to protect your health and reduce your risk of severe disease from COVID-19. The good news is that research has shown that quitting rapidly leads to improved lung function. While quitting can be difficult, there are many resources out there that can help. For example, smokers can visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800 QUIT NOW. Teens can get help quitting e-cigarettes at teen.smokefree.gov/quit-vaping or truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting, and parents can find resources and tips about e-cigarettes at fightflavoredecigs.org/resources-for-parents.
PBN: How active is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in Rhode Island?
MYERS: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its public health partners are active across the country. In Rhode Island, we have worked together with public health leaders in Rhode Island to support the state’s efforts to adopt strong tobacco control policies. As a result, thanks to decades of public health advocacy and education, Rhode Island has one of the lowest youth cigarette smoking rates in the country. Now, Gov. Raimondo has exhibited strong leadership in confronting the youth e-cigarette epidemic and protecting the health of Rhode Island’s kids by making Rhode Island the third state to prohibit the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN staff writer. She can be reached at Graham@PBN.com.
