Too Many Utah Children Introduced To Tobacco Through E-Cigarettes, Officials Say

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Utah health officials said they believe restricting e-cigarette access for children is the still right approach as major health concerns over vaping nicotine and smoking cigarettes persist.

As of Monday, 98 cases of vaping-related lung illness had been reported in Utah and the Utah Department of Health is investigating 15 other possible cases.

The vast majority of lung illness cases have been linked to illegal THC cartridges. When the vaping epidemic took off three months ago, it initially appeared that vaping tobacco, or e-cigarettes, was the problem. The investigation now shows THC was the greater problem.

“If you are vaping, don’t vape THC. That seems to be the driver in this investigation that’s causing these problems,” said Braden Ainsworth, Program Manager for the UDOH Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

In more than 90% of the Utah cases of vaping-related lung illness, the patients said they vaped THC. Only 6% said they vaped nicotine only.

But vaping nicotine and smoking cigarettes are still major health concerns for the state and health officials believe restricting e-cigarettes for kids is still the right approach.

“I think it’s still unsafe,” said Jordan Osborne, who was never a cigarette smoker until he got hooked on the nicotine in e-cigarettes. “I had a coworker buy it for me, and I remember it was a cherry flavor.”

Then, the cravings started, and he was buying e-cigarettes on a regular basis. After several years, he started smoking cigarettes, too, as another way to get that nicotine.

“I just wanted something to kind of smoke,” he said. ” That nicotine helps me relax and brings me down a little bit. That’s what I wanted in high-stress environments.”

Seven years later, the 25-year-old is an advocate for the American Cancer Society, trying to wean himself off of vaping and smoking nicotine.

“I do want to quit,” he said.

The American Cancer Society held a cancer summit on Thursday focused on e-cigarettes, which are often a child’s introduction to tobacco.

Officials said 1,300 Utah adults will die this year from smoking and 800 kids under 18 will become daily smokers.

That’s one reason the department is not backing off of new e-cigarette restrictions, even though illegal THC cartridges are responsible for the vaping related lung illness.

“We had a lot of youths that were using the products (e-cigarettes), and the youth continue to use the products in pretty high numbers in our state,” Ainsworth said. “So, that remains an issue with the investigation, or without the investigation.”

Beginning this week in Utah, tobacco vaping products are only sold in vaping specialty shops, for adults only.

“Adults can still get those products,” said Ainsworth. “They can get the flavors that they want to vape. It’s just making it more difficult for youth to get those products.”

Several vape Utah shops have sued the state over the emergency rule, but state officials want to curb the popularity of e-cigarettes among kids, which continues to rise.

“It’s important to us that we continue to do whatever we can to keep those rates from going up,” Ainsworth said.

“Vaping is going to be dangerous down the road,” said Osborne. “We just don’t know what the dangers are coming from.”