Long-term vaping risks, Maine youth vaping on the rise & more

January 2, 2020

We hope you enjoy this monthly newsletter from the Training & Education Program at the Center for Tobacco Independence.

Upcoming Events

Please click on the orange titles for more information and to register.

BASIC SKILLS TRAININGS

Targeted Basic Skills: Behavioral Health Settings *

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

7:30am - 12:15pm

Portland

Learn about the health burden of tobacco and nicotine on individuals with behavioral health conditions, and opportunities for treatment in mental health and substance use settings. Registration fee is waived!

(Scroll to bottom for more information)

Tobacco Intervention: Basic Skills Training

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

8am - 4pm

South Portland

Learn about nicotine addiction and how to integrate brief, evidence-based tobacco treatment interventions into current practice.

WEBINAR

Not Your Father’s (or Mother’s) HelpLine! An Update

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

12 to 1pm

Join us to learn about the HelpLine’s new text-to-quit, web-based treatment, online self-registration and other innovations.

What's the Research?

Long-term Risks of Vaping - New Information

You may have heard about sudden lung injury related to e-cigarettes (also called ENDS) and vaping, but less has been reported about the long-term effects of using the devices. This makes sense; they have not been around long. However, without many studies about health consequences, we have sometimes assumed that e-cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes.

This understanding is evolving. An article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in December 2019 reports that a link has been found between long-term vaping and chronic lung diseases.

Researchers followed 32,000 people who had no signs of lung disease. After a period of three years, they found that people who used e-cigarettes were 30 percent more likely than nonusers to have developed a chronic lung disease, including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.

In addition, researchers report that dual use - the common practice of using both combustible and electronic products - is even riskier to health than using either product alone. The study found that combining regular and e-cigarettes more than tripled the risk for developing chronic lung diseases.

Access the article HERE.

Vaping & E-cigarette Use

Among Maine Youth

The Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey - administered biannually – has released its updated statistics on youth vaping and e-cigarette use. It shows that the percentage of Maine high school students who have ever used an electronic vapor product has increased significantly, from 33.2% in 2017 to 45.0% in 2019.

In addition, the number of Maine high school students who currently use electronic vapor products has gone up, from 15.3% in 2017 to 28.7% in 2019.

Given that nicotine is known to be unsafe for adolescent brains, and that it is illegal for those under age 21 to purchase tobacco products (including ENDS), this surge in use is a major concern.

Governor Janet Mills released a statement about her administration's plans to address the increase in Maine youth vaping numbers. Find it HERE.

To download a two-page infographic about these numbers from the Maine CDC, click HERE or on the image.

Selected Resource

Time for New Year's Resolutions

Are you making New Year’s resolutions? If you or someone you know is considering tackling issues around ENDS (e-cigarettes) and vaping, the Maine Tobacco HelpLine can offer some support.

As part of its expanding services, the HelpLine welcomes emails from parents, providers and others concerned about e-cigarettes and vaping. Whether you’re wondering how to quit or are just looking for information, please consider reaching out to the HelpLine. You will receive an individualized response.

To access, email the HelpLine at MaineTobaccoHelp@mainehealth.org. Let them know you would like support around ENDS or vaping.

You can then request an email response or get a call back at a designated time.

* Targeted Basic Skills Training:

Behavioral Health Settings

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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

HALF-DAY TRAINING (7:30am - 12:15pm)

MaineHealth, Portland

If you work in the behavioral health field, you know that tobacco can be a difficult issue to address. Your clients - people with mental health diagnoses - are more likely to use tobacco, to smoke more and to have a harder time quitting than those without such a diagnosis. However, these individuals want to quit and CAN quit. But they may need some extra support.

Join other behavioral health professionals and MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence Training and Education staff for a half-day training to learn more about confronting tobacco use in individuals with behavioral health conditions.

Please note:

This is the last Targeted Basic Skills for Behavioral Health Settings training being offered this season

The registration fee is waived!

More Information & Register

For more information about the Training & Education Program, visit:

www.CTIMaine.org

MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI)

Tobacco Treatment Training and Education Program

CTI provides education and training on evidence-based tobacco treatment to healthcare and behavioral health professionals in Maine on behalf of the Maine CDC, DHHS. Our goal is to improve access to high quality, best practice tobacco treatment and create a network of tobacco treatment specialists across the state.