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Smoking Cigarette Analysis

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Effective Smoking Cessation Tool or A New Way for Children to be Introduced to Nicotine?
Why We Need E-Cigarette Health Policy.
Background and Significance
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were originally developed in 2004 by the Chinese with the intention of offering a safer alternative to smoking traditional tobacco (CASAA, 2012). E-cigarettes quickly emerged in other markets around the world including Europe in 2006 and the United States (U.S.) by 2007 (TCLC, 2011). The device works via battery to heat liquid nicotine and an atomizer then turns the heated liquid into a gas that the person can inhale (NIH, 2014). E-cigarettes, now readily available in convenience stores, malls and gas stations, come in many forms ranging from …show more content…

In a 2014 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), poison centers reported that ingestions of e-cigarette liquids increased from one case per month to over 200 between 2010 and 2014 and over 50% of these reports involved children less than five years of age (CDC, 2014). With colorful packaging and appealing flavors of liquid nicotine refill cartridges, the likelihood of child poisonings will surely continue to rise. Lack of production regulation also results in varying strengths available from one liquid refill to the next. It could take as little as one to two drops of ingested nicotine liquid to cause serious illness in a child which could range from nausea, vomiting and confusion to bradycardia, hypotension, coma and cardiac arrest (Gupta, Gandhi & Manikonda, 2014). This increase in potentially life threatening ingestions is a major problem indicator proving the need for e-cigarette health policy to mandate regulation of e-cigarettes including production, ban of sales to minors, childproof packaging of liquid nicotine refills, and the ban of fruit and candy flavored products (Hudson, …show more content…

NPs are in a unique position of having expertise regarding the health effects of nicotine, as well as personal connections with patients who have suffered the consequences of nicotine addiction or even accidental ingestions. Communicating these opinions and experiences to inform legislators of the need for e-cigarette health policy is critical. In today’s age of the internet, it is easier than ever to do this via email and/or social media. Legislators want to hear from their constituents, especially those who have more expertise in an area than they do. The ban of all sales to minors across the country, as well as the prohibition of e-cigarette use in public buildings, banning the production of candy and fruit flavored products and mandating childproof packaging are all necessary policies that should be advocated for by

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