Winning Health | Gold Coast Health Plan | Issue 3 | Spring 2020

Standard U.S. Postage PAID Long Beach, CA Permit No. 2041 WINNING Compassionate care, accessible to all, for a healthy community. ISSUE 3, SPRING 2020 The use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, has become a new way to smoke tobacco. But the health problems are not fully known. Here are some common questions about vaping: Q: How does vaping work? A: Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes, also known as vaporizers, vape pens, e-cigarettes, mods or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. But they all have a liquid that is heated until it turns into a vapor to be smoked. Because these liquids, known as e-liquids or juices, have oil, the vapor is in fact a spray that sticks to the lungs. Q: Is vaping addictive? A: Liquid from e-cigarettes often has nicotine, which is very addictive. E-liquids also have other cancer- causing drugs and toxins, heavy metals, and other addictive products. Q: What other health concerns are there? A: Vaping has been linked to lung injuries, and a big concern is the number of young people who vape. Many studies show that teens who vape are more likely to smoke regular cigarettes or use other drugs. This is because of what nicotine does to the brain. Nicotine is dangerous for a teen’s brain development. It can cause attention and learning problems, mood disorders, and problems with impulse control. Q: What are some symptoms of vaping? A: Some of the symptoms of vaping are coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, increased thirst, nosebleeds, pneumonia, fatigue or fever. If you have any of these symptoms, please call your doctor. Q: How can I quit vaping or smoking? A: You can quit vaping or smoking and live a healthy life. There are many resources to help you quit. Take the first Vaping: What you need to know step and call the California Smokers Helpline at 1-800-NO-BUTTS ( 1-800-662-8887 ) or visit nobutts.org . For Spanish, call 1-800-45-NO-FUME ( 1-800-456-6386 ) or visit nobutts.org/spanish . You can also talk to your doctor about what method may be right for you. For more information, please call GCHP’s Health Education Department at 1-805-437-5718 . If you use a TTY, call 1-888-310-7347 . Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute on Drug Abuse; U.S. Food and Drug Administration