Why we need a report on vaping from the Surgeon General.

Sixty years ago, the U.S. surgeon general's report informed people that cigarettes are harmful, leading to big changes like fewer people smoking. Today, experts say a similar report on vaping could help everyone understand it better. Many people think vaping is just as bad as smoking, but that's not true according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and scientists; e-cigarettes are less harmful. However, they are not completely safe, and there's debate about how much less harmful vaping is compared to smoking.

A new surgeon general's report could clear up confusion about vaping, suggested by experts like Lawrence Gostin. E-cigarettes are newer, so there's not enough long-term research to show if they cause serious health problems, like lung cancer, that cigarettes do. Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death, but deaths from smoking are expected to decrease thanks to fewer people smoking since the 1960s. After the 1964 report by Surgeon General Luther Terry, smoking rates dropped significantly due to measures like placing warning labels on packs and banning cigarette commercials.

Vaping became very popular, especially among young people, and was once more popular than smoking among youth. But surprisingly, smoking rates amongst high schoolers have dropped to less than 2%, which some see as a big public health win possibly due to e-cigarettes. Cigarette smoke has lots of bad chemicals, and vaping has fewer and less harmful ones. Studies say people who switch from smoking to vaping see health improvements, but the effects of vaping on non-smokers are still unclear.

There are many studies on vaping, but their results are mixed, making it tough to draw solid conclusions about its safety. Some studies link vaping to health issues like bronchitis and heart problems and nicotine exposure in teens to mental health issues. Experts aren't even sure if vaping is good for quitting smoking because studies show different results. The World Health Organization is concerned about vaping growing globally, especially among young people attracted by flavored e-cigarettes.

In 2016, there were calls to reduce vaping among young people due to the risks of nicotine. The FDA has been trying to regulate e-cigarettes, but faces criticism for how it approves or denies products. Vaping among teenagers has recently decreased, and experts aren't exactly sure why. A health scare in 2019 related to vaping THC may have influenced public opinion on the safety of e-cigarettes.