New Research Shows E-Cigarette Use Up Sharply Among Younger Adults in U.S. During EVALI Outbreak and COVID-19 Pandemic

A new study by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows almost three-quarters of a million more adults in the United States, ages 18-29 years, used e-cigarettes between 2019-2021 during the period that spanned the EVALI outbreak (E-cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury) and COVID-19 pandemic.

Parkinson’s Disease: Uncovering Why Nicotine May Be Protective (for Some)

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, one curious example being that people who smoke appear to be less likely to develop Parkinson’s. This may be due to interactions between nicotine and genetic variations in…

Study of pre-teens yields surprises about alcohol, tobacco and marijuana

They may only be in 4th or 5th grade, but 1 in 10 pre-teen children already say they’re curious about using alcohol or tobacco products, and 1 in 50 say they’re curious about using marijuana, a new study shows.
As many as 3% of the nearly 12,000 9- and 10-year-olds surveyed say they already have a friend who uses one of these substances. And those who said they did were also much more likely to be curious about trying alcohol or tobacco and other nicotine-containing products themselves.

How Adolescents Used Drugs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Among adolescents ages 10 to 14 in the U.S, the overall rate of drug use remained relatively stable in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one change was a decreased use of alcohol, but an increased use of nicotine and misuse of prescription drugs.

Starting Smoking Cessation in Hospitalized Patients Would Reduce Many Premature Deaths

Each year in the U.S., about 30 million hospitalizations occur in individuals 18 and older. Of these, more than 7 million are current cigarette smokers whose average hospital stay is several days. Researchers say that starting smoking cessation therapy during hospitalization and maintaining high adherence post-discharge can markedly improve permanent quit rates in these patients with minimal to no side effects. Cessation therapy also should include long-term counseling and at least 90 days of a prescription drug, specifically, varenicline.

Nicotine Damages Kidney Filters in Smokers with Diabetes

Article title: Nicotine, smoking, podocytes and diabetic nephropathy Authors: Edgar A. Jaimes, Ming-Sheng Zhou, Mohammed Siddiqui, Gabriel Rezonzew, Runxia Tian, Surya V. Seshan, Alecia N Muwonge, Nicholas J. Wong, Evren U. Azeloglu, Alessia Fornoni, Sandra Merscher, Leopoldo Raij From the authors:…

Health Disparities and COVID-19, Toxicity of E-cigarette Generated Aerosols, and More Featured in February 2021 Toxicological Sciences

Toxicological Sciences continues to feature leading toxicology research in the areas of developmental and reproductive toxicology; endocrine toxicology; neurotoxicology; molecular, biochemical, and systems toxicology; and more.

Nicotine Worsens Renal Disease in Smokers with Diabetes, Damages Kidney Filters

New research suggests the toxic effects of nicotine on the kidneys’ filtering function are partly responsible for the progression of diabetes-related kidney disease in people who smoke. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology.

Early study results point to heating element in vaping and e-cig devices as cause for serious lung injuries

Early results of an experimental vaping study have shown significant lung injury from E-cigarette (eC) devices with nickel-chromium alloy heating elements. The findings were consistent, with or without the use of nicotine, vitamin E oil or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which have previously been thought to contribute to the life-threatening respiratory problem.

$11.4 million NIH grant advances drug to treat nicotine addiction

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Camino Pharma, LLC and University of California San Diego School of Medicine have been awarded an $11.4 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance a novel drug candidate for nicotine addiction into first-in-human Phase 1 studies. The drug targets a neuronal signaling pathway underlying addictive behaviors, and would be a first-in-class medication to help people quit smoking.

Early Life Exposure to Nicotine: Postnatal Neurobehavioral and Metabolic Outcomes and the Development of Childhood Cancers

Animal studies suggest that nicotine may be a key chemical responsible for long-term effects associated with maternal cigarette smoking and increased risk of adverse health consequences in the offspring. However, postnatal outcomes of nicotine exposure from maternal use of e-cigarettes…

Continued nicotine use promotes brain tumors in lung cancer patients, Wake Forest study suggests

Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine have discovered that nicotine promotes the spread of lung cancer cells into the brain, where they can form deadly metastatic tumors. The study, which will be published June 4 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), suggests that nicotine replacement therapies may not be suitable strategies for lung cancer patients attempting to quit smoking. In addition, the researchers show that the naturally occurring drug parthenolide blocks nicotine-induced brain metastasis in mice, suggesting a potential therapeutic option in humans.

New study shows majority of patients do not believe e-cigarettes and vapes impact bone fracture healing

The use of e-cigarettes, vapes and mods have increased as smokers liken these alternatives as healthier and not having the same side effects of traditional cigarettes. Because e-cigarettes are readily available over the internet, unlike the sale of cigarettes, it perpetuates the notion that these are a safer alternative. A new study, “The New Era of Nicotine: Better for Patients?” released as part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Virtual Education Experience found that smokers and non-smokers believe the use of e-cigarettes and other smoking alternatives have less of an impairment on bone fracture healing than smoking traditional cigarettes, when in fact the nicotine found in both cigarettes and e-cigarettes can impede the healing process.

Teens and Vaping: What Parents Need to Know

E-cigarettes — especially flavored vaping products — are becoming more popular among teens.

Vaping can cause serious health issues in teens, including e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), and impaired brain development. Vaping can also put teens at an increased risk of developing other addictions too.

Parents can talk with their kids about the dangers of vaping in a non-judgmental way. Pediatricians can also help by providing parents and teens with information and resources.

What You Need to Know About Vaping-Associated Lung Injury

Vaping-associated lung injury is a condition characterized by lung inflammation and damage that can lead to respiratory failure and death. Symptoms include shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain, as well as fatigue, fever, and weight loss. Many patients report gastrointestinal symptoms too.

Healthcare experts are urging people to avoid vaping because the exact cause of vaping-associated lung injury is unknown.

People who are using vaping products — especially young people, who have been most frequently affected by the condition — should closely monitor their health and seek immediate medical care if they develop symptoms.

Teens falling victim to the Juul effect

“We were seeing a real drop-off in youth smoking, but now we’re seeing an increase,” says Dr. Beth Ebel, a UW Medicine pediatrician and researcher with the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. Among teens as young as middle-school age, vaping with products that have nicotine “predisposes you to cigarette smoking later on.”

Nicotine, once derived from tobacco plants to kill insects, works by altering the nervous system. “We’ve used it, refined it, concentrated it, and now we have a pure form of one of the most addictive substances known,” Ebel says in downloadable video soundbites (2:22).