E-cigarettes, the trendy smoking alternative which skyrocketed to popularity in recent years, remain a public health crisis, UPMC St. Margaret respiratory physicians warned.
Hospital officials are coordinating with the St. Margaret Foundation to host a virtual program to explain the risks.
The free session will be at 10 a.m. on May 21.
“A Closer Look at Vaping” will feature Respiratory Therapist Carmen Allmond and Director of Respiratory Services Mark Normile, both on staff at UPMC St. Margaret, near Aspinwall.
“I witness the results of the use of e-cigarettes, which can release dangerous chemicals and trace metals into the lungs that cause heart and lung disease,” Normile said. “We feel it is important to share information about the dangers of using these products, especially with impressionable children and teens.”
Participants will learn about vaping devices and how they work, as well as the dangers and side effects.
According to the World Health Organization, there are expected to be 55 million e-cigarette users worldwide this year.
Nearly 5 million vape-users are youth, according to the American Lung Association.
The trend first caught on in recent years with people who incorrectly thought that e-cigarettes were a safe alternative to smoking.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine and are highly addictive. Inhaling e-cigarettes — known as vaping — has been linked to a greater risk of covid-19 infection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been 2,807 hospitalized cases of serious lung injury associated with vaping products, resulting in 68 deaths as of February 2020.
There is no research that shows vaping to be safe.
It’s not cheap, either. While less expensive than traditional cigarettes, vaping costs $387 to $5,082 a year, according to Ruthless Vapor.
Smoking a pack of cigarettes a day can cost $2,087 to $5,091.
“As part of our commitment to the community, we offer a smoking cessation program and urge people to reach out for help,” Normile said.
For more information, call 412-784-5043 or visit the UPMC St. Margaret smoking cessation program website to register.
Register for the UPMC e-cigarette program at UPMC.com/VirtualEvents.
