E cigarettes have gained increasing attention for their link to devastating side effects. The Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times reports that more than 2,000 cases of lung injuries related to vaping, along with 39 deaths, have been reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Due to the rising numbers of children and young people using e cigarettes, the injuries and deaths have alarmed both pediatricians and parents. But there are other significant and long-lasting e cig health effects that can cause major problems for young vapers.

Studies have long shown that nicotine is often a gateway drug that leads users to other, stronger substances, and there is a considerable amount of nicotine in most e-cigarettes. Nicotine from vaping has also been linked with a number of behavior issues like attention difficulty, irritability, and aggression, as well as addiction. The brains of young vapers are still in the process of growing and forming.

“We have this burgeoning evidence base that nicotine exposure, especially early on, might increase your brain’s risk of getting addicted to not only nicotine but other substances like marijuana, alcohol and cocaine,” noted Brian Jenssen, a faculty member with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s PolicyLab. Jenssen is an expert in tobacco and e-cigarette policy.

But it’s more than addiction issues—researchers are seeing a number of behavioral issues as well. Sharon Levy, director of Boston Children’s Hospital’s adolescent substance use and addiction program noted that these behavioral issues are more akin to side effects that have been seen with harder substances. “We’ve seen it with marijuana addiction. We’ve seen it with opioid addiction. We have not seen it with cigarettes.”

These e cig health effects will likely only worsen with time, as the use of e-cigarettes among young people is growing rapidly. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that between 2017 and 2018, e-cigarette usage increased by 78 percent among high school students, to a total of about 20.8 percent. Among middle schoolers, vaping increased by 48 percent, to a total of about 4.9 percent.

The younger a child begins using nicotine, the more likely it is that he or she will form an addiction into adulthood, research has shown. Studies have suggested that the use of nicotine in young people alters their brain’s chemical pathways

Filing a Lawsuit Over E Cig Health Effects

If you or someone you love has suffered side effects from vaping, such as e-cigarette addiction, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by e cig health effects, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with medical complications, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.