Matt (and First Family Urgent Care) Warn of the Dangers of Vaping

I have a family member who has been vaping for quite some time. When they started, vaping was fairly new and I thought they were breathing in scented water vapor.

The FDA, though, calls it an aerosol created by heating the e-liquid, which "may contain nicotine, as well as varying compositions of flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other ingredients."

I was chatting recently with my friends at First Family Urgent Care, who are seeing more and more patients with illnesses and injuries connected to vaping. Sometimes the pens malfunction and cause burns, and other times the symptoms are related to inhaling this aerosol.

Patients often report "coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever and abdominal pain," with symptoms emerging both shortly after vaping and, in some cases, several weeks after vaping, according to a state task force report issued last month. The report states:

"As of October 1, 2019, there has been one vaping-related death in New Jersey; 12 confirmed and 2 probable cases (4 females; 10 males); and 32 reports under investigation (7 females; 25 males). The age range of impacted individuals is 15-51 years of age."

Those numbers are scary. I can say from firsthand experience that vaping is addicting. The person I know came off of cigarettes by vaping. It’s not an occasional thing. The pen is always in hand. In fact, I would guess that this person vapes more than they lit up a cigarette.

And man, it is expensive. I was out with this person when they had to replace a vape pen, and that along with the vape pods really add up!

So, that's why I join Family First Urgent Care in urging you to stop — or not start — vaping. It's an important step in staying healthy. Click here and here for resources for both teens and adults on quitting this dangerous habit.