Cases of severe pulmonary disease with links to vaping are now considered a notifiable disease in Alberta, meaning that physicians are required to report all cases they observe to the province.
The decree comes amid reports from the United States of a mysterious vaping-related lung illness that has afflicted more than 450 people and killed five, according to a report from the country’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A Sept. 5 memo from Alberta Health Services outlined signs of illness for doctors to look for.
“As we’re watching the situation unfold in the United States, we wanted to make sure we had set up a framework for reporting any cases that might occur in Alberta as quickly as possible,” said Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health.
So far, no cases of a lung illness associated with vaping have been reported in Alberta. But AHS is advising doctors to reinforce that groups including pregnant women and young people shouldn’t vape at all, as well as asking physicians to inform patients that while the mystery illness is under investigation, using vaping as a method to quit smoking isn’t recommended.
Les Hagen is the executive director of Action on Smoking & Health, an advocacy group focused on reducing smoking in Western Canada. He says that while illnesses like the mysterious one emerging from the U.S. are concerning, addiction is still a bigger public health risk.
“What we know that vaping is that it shares the same fundamental health hazard with smoking, and that is nicotine addiction,” Hagen said. “That’s the biggest concern with e-cigarettes, not whether or not they cause lung disease. The real issue is the fact that some of these products are highly addictive and can lead to tobacco use.”
Hagen is most concerned about youth, who he says are most vulnerable to the consequences of vaping due to inadequate government action.
“This is a public health train wreck that we are all watching in slow motion, and the regulators seem to be tone-deaf,” Hagen said.
Hinshaw acknowledged that many parents are likely worried about their child’s use of cigarettes and advised parents to approach the concern just as they should with any other substance use issue: talk to their kids about it.
“Parents should be talking to their kids about vaping, about using other substances, and understanding what’s going on with their child’s friends, at the child’s school,” she said. “Helping the child understand what the risks are.”
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
