Vaping: A growing trend

• Gideon St.Helen, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UCSF
• Krista Oswald, Ottawa Public Health

E-cigarette use (vaping) is a growing trend, particularly among adolescents and youth. To effectively address the rising prevalence of vaping, public health professionals need a common understanding about the health consequences of vaping, including the chemical composition of e-liquids, e-cigarette toxicity, and potential for addiction, along with evidence-based policies and regulations that have been applied to curb the trend. Gideon St.Helen from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco will present on what e-cigarettes are, the composition and toxicity of e-cigarette liquids and aerosols, related harms, and known health effects. Krista Oswald from Ottawa Public Health will identify the challenges of balancing harm reduction and youth prevention principles when it comes to vaping.  She will discuss the implications of the changing nicotine market as it relates to vaping and smoking cessation; the potential benefits and risks associated with these products; the prevalence of vaping among young people; the current vaping regulations, including regulatory gaps; and provide important cessation key messages for health care providers.