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TEHRAN, Mar 12 -Many parents who smoke try to shield their kids from their unhealthy habit -- but those who vape may not take the same precautions, a new study suggests.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -The study surveyed over 700 parents who smoked cigarettes, used e-cigarettes or both. The researchers found that most -- regardless of their product of choice -- had a "strict" smoke-free policy at home.
Yet few e-cigarette users had banned vaping from their homes: Only around one-quarter had done so -- versus 73 percent of parents who only smoked cigarettes.
Altogether, the findings suggest that parents who vape are unaware of the risks to their kids, said senior researcher Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, of Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston.
"We really think parents are being misled by 'Big Tobacco,'" Winickoff said.
E-cigarettes are electronic devices that work by heating a liquid that contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals. There's no tobacco, but the devices produce an aerosol that sends fine particles and chemicals into the air.
According to Linda Richter, director of policy research and analysis for the New York-based nonprofit Center on Addiction, "The aerosol produced by vaping is by no means 'harmless' water vapor."
Being around the aerosol can irritate the eyes, throat and lungs -- and may worsen asthma or any other respiratory problems a child has, said Richter, who was not involved in the study.
Then there's the nicotine.
"Secondhand exposure can result in measurable levels of nicotine in the bloodstream, at levels similar to secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke," Richter said.
For those reasons, she added, the World Health Organization says e-cigarettes should not be used indoors.
That message does not seem to be reaching parents, however.
Winickoff pointed out that "the message on secondhand smoke has been out there for 30 years." In contrast, he noted, e-cigarettes are being marketed as a safer alternative to smoking that will help people quit tobacco.
"The reality is, they're a way of maintaining nicotine addiction," Winickoff said.
It's not clear whether e-cigarette users in this study were trying to quit smoking. But the devices are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for smoking cessation. Winickoff recommended that parents instead try FDA-approved products, such as nicotine patches or gum, or the prescription medication bupropion.
And if you do choose to vape, "never do it in your home or car," Winickoff stressed.
"Infants and children have the right to breathe clean air," he said, "and e-cigarettes interfere with that right."
Source:UPI
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