9781422271841

1 CHAPTER

The Scope of this Epidemic

In recent years, e-cigarettes and electronic vapor devices—small tools that heat a nicotine-rich liquid so that it can be inhaled—have become extremely popular, particularly among young Americans. Manufacturers claimed that their products were a safe alternative to traditional nicotine products, such as cigarettes or chewing tobacco. Unfortunately, the popularity of these items grew faster than scientific tests could be performed on them to assess their safety. Yet, nicotine is still a highly addictive drug, and many young people have wound up addicted to e-cigarettes. As electronic vapor devices grew in popularity, manufacturers introduced new products to appeal to a broader range of users. They included flavors, vitamins, and other additives to make their vape juices stand apart. These include compounds like cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredients of the plant Cannabis sativa (better known as “marijuana”). Consumers bought these products hoping to achieve the calm promised by CBD or the high triggered by THC. Unfortunately, for many years the market for these products was barely regulated, and the health effects of such additives were uncertain.

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