Turn To Tara: Hidden health dangers in e-cigarettes

As more and more young people experiment with e-cigarette use, there are some hidden health dangers that have doctors and lawmakers taking notice.

While a USB cord, pencil or Sharpie may not seem like an item that would grab a parent’s attention, they can actually be used as smoking devices in disguise.
E-cigarette use among teenagers is at an all-time high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The FDA also announced a potential link between vaping and seizures, especially in young adults.

Dr. Nadine Cohen treats adolescent and adult patients at the CareMount Medical in Thornwood, and says she worries about the impact the chemically produced vapors are having on young developing minds.

“We can see effects on attention, addiction, mood and adrenal system,” she says.
The most recent data shows more than 3.6 million middle and high school students were current e-cigarette users at the end of last year.
Many of them are drawn in by enticing marketing and flavored products that smell and taste like fruit and candy.
Not all of the e-liquids contain nicotine, but Dr. Cohen warns that young lungs are still exposed to dangerous chemicals when flavors are inhaled.

Last month, leaders in Greenburgh announced a proposal to ban the sale of vaping products within 1,000 feet of any school, playground, park or library in the area.
Until then, Cohen advises that the best thing to do as a park is talk to your children.