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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Do E-Cigs Help Reduce Dependence on Traditional Cigarettes?

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Tuesday, November 26, 2019   

DES MOINES, Iowa — More than 20 new cases of illness linked to vaping have been reported in Iowa in the past month, and experts warn e-cigarettes should be avoided until more research is done into their health impacts.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 22% of Iowa 11th-graders reported vaping in 2018, putting them at risk for a lifetime addiction to niccotine. State epidemiologist Caitlin Pedati said despite 16,000 illnesses reported nationwide, doctors have yet to identify one single cause. Meanwhile, the number of cases in Iowa keeps rising.

"Forty-nine cases of respiratory illness associated with vaping and e-cigarette use, and so I think it's just important that people understand that there are risks that are associated with the use of these products,” Pedati said.

She added the majority of the illnesses have involved vaping products that contain THC, the primary psychoactive component in marijuana. So far, there have been no deaths reported in Iowa, but nationwide 34 deaths linked to vaping have been reported.

About 16% of Iowans still smoke cigarettes - a higher rate than in neighboring Minnesota, at 14%, but lower than in Missouri, which is estimated at 20%. Some smokers report using vaping products as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, but e-cigarettes have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a safe or effective method to help smokers quit.

Pedati warned that continued nicotine consumption in any form is unsafe.

"Anybody who's thinking about quitting smoking should know that it's one of the most important - if not the most important - thing you can do for your health,” she said. “And just because it might not work the first time, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try again."

Fifty years ago, nearly 42% of American adults smoked cigarettes, compared with 14% in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonetheless, the CDC says nearly a half-million Americans still die each year due to smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.


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