Healthy Choices joins forces to help shatter myths

National Drug & Alcohol Facts WeekSM” (NDAFW) a week-long health observance, organized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health, takes place Monday, January 25th through Sunday, January 31st. NDAFW celebrates the inquisitive minds of teens by giving them a space (virtual or physical) to ask questions about drugs and alcohol and to get scientific answers from experts.

About a third of high school seniors across the country report using an illicit drug sometime in the past year, and more than ten percent report non-medical use of a narcotic painkiller. Marijuana and E-Cigarette use is also on the rise. While drugs can put a teenager’s health and life in jeopardy, many teens are not aware of the risks. Even for those teens who do not abuse drugs, many have friends or family who do, and they are often looking for ways to help them.

Some of the biggest myths are in regard to E-cigarettes. Youth, as well as adults, are being mislead into thinking that E-cigarettes are harmless or can be used as a cessation tool. Most have nicotine, though some are sold as nicotine-free. They are sometimes used to smoke marijuana oil or other drugs.

Some types of e-cigarettes contain enough alcohol to affect motor skills, a new study concludes. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine by vaporizing liquids, which may contain alcohol and other chemicals. Yale University researchers tested people who used two commercially available e-cigarettes with either high or low amounts of alcohol. Neither group said they felt differently after they inhaled the vapor. But those who used e-cigarettes with high alcohol levels performed more poorly on psychomotor tests. In some cases, they had detectable levels of alcohol in their urine. “They didn’t actually know they were under the influence of alcohol,” lead researcher Dr. Mehmet Sofuoglu told CNBC. “It still influenced their performance.” About three-quarters of the commercial e-cigarette liquids tested contained less than 1 percent alcohol. Some e-cigarette users create their own liquids with high alcohol content, the researchers note in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Almost nothing is known about the prevalence of using e-liquids that contain alcohol, they said.

Sofuoglu said the findings are worrisome, especially in light of a recent government report that found e-cigarette use among teens tripled from 2013 to 2014. An estimated 13 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes in 2014—compared with 9 percent who smoked traditional cigarettes.

“Given the widespread and unregulated use of e-cigarettes, especially by youth and other vulnerable populations, further studies are needed to evaluate both the acute safety and long-term health risks of using alcohol-containing e-cigarettes,” he said in a news release.

The State of Montana is taking steps in putting regulations on E-cigarettes. Montana retailers now need a new state license to sell alternative nicotine and vapor products, and they won’t be able to sell to people under the age of 18. The license requirement was a part of Montana Senate Bill 66, introduced by Attorney General Tim Fox, and sponsored by Democratic Senator Diane Sands of Missoula, due to the explosive growth of e-cigarettes. The Malta High School reACT! Crew was part of the Celebration on the Hill last year and educated local Representative Mike Lang on the issue. “It’s awesome to see that our Youth Voice has been heard and a positive change has been made concerning E-cigarettes in Montana,” said Palmer Giblette, MHS reACT Co-President.

The Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program is always ready to help those who want to quit using tobacco products, including E-cigarettes. Call the free Montana Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or log onto http://www.QuitNowMontana.com.