On September 23, educational speaker Robb Holladay spoke at Loretto Academy about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes.

This assembly is a reaction to a recent surge of lung injuries in America that may be linked to vaping.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 26 deaths have been confirmed so far from the 1,299 lung injury patients in the past few months who reported having a recent history of vaping.

The CDC named this illness on October 11, 2019:  e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury, or EVALI.

These illnesses and deaths are distressing news to parents, teens, and corporations alike — although for very different reasons.

Juul Labs Inc., which has dominated the vaping industry since it was founded in 2015, has faced significant backlash ever since these lung illnesses came to light, according to the El Paso Times.

In response, Juul’s CEO has resigned, and the corporation has promised to terminate all future advertising, as well as promising not to impede any efforts by the U.S. to ban flavored vapes.

Juul denies that its target audience was ever America’s youth, but its dessert and fruit-flavored pods cause the denial to fall flat.

According to the CDC, over one-fourth of high school students have reported vaping; whether it was Juul’s intention or not, it has triggered a teen drug use epidemic.

Although many have claimed that THC, the chemical in marijuana that gives it its “high,” has caused these illnesses and deaths and not the nicotine found in all vapes, that shouldn’t be a cause for halting the national discussion on teen drug use in America.

No regulations were placed on vapes and e-cigarettes when they were first released to the public because almost nothing was known about their long-term effects.

It’s difficult not to be reminded of the treatment tobacco products received in the twentieth century before scientists knew their long-term effects — cigarettes were prescribed medicine to treat asthma, and the tobacco industry was given free rein in advertising.

This makes Juul’s marketing towards youth even more despicable; young people who become addicted to nicotine will translate into addicted adults and Juul’s loyal customers, while Juul itself cares little for its own customers’ health.

Though much remains unknown about vaping’s long-term effects, health organizations like KidsHealth.org predict that the nicotine in vapes can slow teen brain development and negatively affect their memory, concentration, learning, and mood.

Although the regulations on vaping might be coming later than many had hoped, it’s a relief that America has finally reached a stage where we are more concerned for the future of our youth than we are for the profits of a corporation preying on them.

The process to remedy this worldwide problem begins on a local scale; for that reason, Loretto thanks Holladay for educating our El Paso youth on the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes.

For those currently trying to quit smoking or vaping, call the toll-free number 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) in order to receive help from trained coaches, or seek personal counseling from a professional.