UK Nursing Dean Speaks on Dangers of E-cigarettes on Capitol Hill

Lexington, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2016) — University of Kentucky College of Nursing Dean Janie Heath joined nursing and public health professionals on Capitol Hill Feb. 4 to voice support for legislation protecting children from the dangers of e-cigarettes.

  Heath advocated on National Cancer Prevention Day on behalf of the Less Cancer Foundation, a national organization with the mission of keeping prevention at the forefront of the “cancer conversation.” Heath, who also serves as the UK Warwick Professor of Nursing, argued e-cigarettes are marketed to youth through colorful, deceptive packaging and framed as fun product, with flavors including Dr. Pepper and Fruit Loops. Marketing tactics have contributed to a significant rise in youth using e-cigarettes in the past few years, she said.

Heath emphasized that the known dangers of e-cigarettes are not limited to nicotine exposure, but also include the inhalation of carcinogens such as formaldehyde and the adverse effects of nicotine-brain. She authored an opinion piece on the issue, which was published in the Huffington Post on Feb. 3.

In January, the U.S. Senate and Congress passed a safety-cap bill requiring child-resistant packaging for the liquids used in e-cigarettes. Heath said these products should be closely monitored to prevent a public health crisis, and more must be accomplished to protect youth from the possible health consequences of e-cigarettes.

“Without additional, commonsense measures going forward, we risk repeating the public health nightmare caused by cigarette smoking,” Heath said. “We must ensure that the progress represented by the safety-cap legislation is only a first — not the last — step we take together.”

To read the opinion piece, click here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu