"A lot of people still think e-cigarettes are not harmful. But studies show that nicotine is, pound for pound, as addictive as heroin." @Surgeon_General Jerome Adams at #CADCAForum Meet and Greetpic.twitter.com/1NhxnXNdll
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When people speak of the addictive properties of nicotine, much of the focus is on dependence- and a large number of addiction experts feel and consistently state nicotine is one of if not the most dependence creating substance.
People also question the relative harm of nicotine to other substances. I don’t think it’s a good idea to compare harm. Someone’s loved on dying of smoking or their kid unable to focus in school because of e cig dependence, or their loved one overdosing are all “harm” to someone.
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But again in terms of dependence, I think it is important that all people, especially young people, realize nicotine in both cigarettes and newer e-cigarettes can create rapid dependence, which can lead to harm.
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The e cigarette epidemic among US youth is in fact creating harm- putting aside concerns about learning, attention, and memory, newly nicotine dependent (ie addicted) youth are significantly impairing the school / learning environment in communities across our country.
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You say, "I don’t think it’s a good idea to compare harm." In that same vein, is it then fair to compare the addictiveness of different things? Where do we draw the line?
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Fair question. I don’t think it furthers the conversation to suggest to someone their suffering is less than someone else’s. I do think that with kids telling us they think e cigs are just water vapor, it helps to give them a “dependence potential” frame of reference.
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Not a good idea? If your goal is harm reduction then comparing harms is ESSENTIAL.
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"Unable to focus at school?" Not an effect I've ever heard of with nicotine. Or was he vaping weed?
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