Electronic cigarettes under fire on Capitol Hill while near a student eighth on ten vape

Congress is asking for answers on e-cigarettes at a hearing Tuesday less than a week after a study found that more than one in eight students out of eight had said they had sprayed nicotine in the last 30 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed earlier in September that at least three people had died from vaping-related illnesses, precipitating the hearing of the Monitoring and Reform Committee. of the House, which dealt with the epidemic of lung diseases related to the electronic cigarette and data showing that teens use electronic cigarettes.

For example, a New England Journal of Medicine survey found that more than a quarter of Grade 12 students had reported being vapoted in the past 30 days. The survey looked at grade eight, tenth and twelfth grade students and found that students who had used nicotine in the past year or who had "increased significantly" in each age group from 2018 to 2019 .

Members of Congress heard from witnesses, including CDC Senior Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat, mother Ruby Johnson, an electronic cigarette user, and "minority witness" Vicki Porter. Schuchat stated that no product, substance or brand had been associated with the outbreak of lung disease and that the CDC was continuing their research.

DOSSIER – In this archive photo of February 20, 2014, Talia Eisenberg, co-founder of Henley Vaporium, uses his vaping device in New York. (AP Photo / Frank Franklin II)

"We are particularly concerned about nicotine use among young people, pregnant women and adults who do not already use cigarettes.The issue is brain development, fetal development and the risk of continuing to smoke. "said Schuchat. "Most people do not realize that the brain continues to grow until the age of 25. Nicotine can cause many problems, including problems with attention, memory, pain and # 39; learning. "

Porter explained that switching from electronic cigarettes to cigarettes nine years ago probably saved his life.

"Quitting is very, very, very difficult, no one has told you. (…) Vaper is a miracle for health because otherwise I would probably be on my way to a diagnosis of lung cancer", Porter told members of Congress.

She said flavors are important for adult smokers to use e-cigarettes instead of going back to smoking. She said that she had never been so healthy since switching to e-cigarettes.

The Democratic representative of Illinois, Raja Krishnamoorthi, heads the Subcommittee on Economic Policy and Consumer Policy, which organizes Tuesday's hearing. He has been a virulent critic of the vaping industry and, in particular, the giant of the electronic cigarette, Juul.

Krishnamoorthi said last week that he was supporting Walmart's decision to stop the sale of electronic cigarettes and other electronic devices for smoking.

"I congratulate companies like Walmart that treat the e-cigarette vaping epidemic with the seriousness it deserves.Too much remains unknown about these unregulated products.The Americans are not guinea pigs", Krishnamoorthi wrote. Twitter Friday.

According to the Wall Street Journal, federal prosecutors in California have reportedly opened a criminal investigation into Juul.

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