Junk Science Second-hand Vape Scare
CDC researchers produce a pointless and shockingly bad piece of science.
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by Dave Cross
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The letter makes some incredible statements and assumptions. Giving vape the snappy epithet of second-hand aerosol (SHA), the research team write: “nonusers can be exposed through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact.”
Clutching at debunked and discredited studies, while ignoring widely supported and positive tobacco harm-reduction pieces of work, the team then claim: “(SHA) from e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances including nicotine, heavy metals, ultrafine particulate, volatile organic com- pounds such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and other toxicants.”
But then, by their own admission, the team confess: “However, to our knowledge, the extent to which US youths are exposed to SHA is unknown.”
The study relied on students to say if they’d ever been present when vape was exhaled. They could have been sitting in a box room or out in an open field, we don’t know because the team never thought it necessary to ask those questions. “Self-reported SHA exposure was assessed,” they write, “by asking, ‘during the past 30 days, on how many days did you breathe the vapour from someone who was using an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette in an indoor or outdoor public place?’ Seven response options ranged from ‘0 days’ to ‘all 30 days.’ Respondents who indicated any response other than ‘0 days’ were considered exposed to SHA.”
The team then took their pointless results (it’s the CDC, all their vape research is senseless fear-mongering) and extrapolated the data to produce a really big number – because newspaper and television journalists love a big number: “Overall, 24.2% of students (6.5 million) reported SHA exposure.”
“By e-cigarette use, exposure was 66.8% among current users, 28.9% among former users, and 16.4% among never- users,” they write. Yes, that’s correct, they obtained results from 112.1% of the survey sample!
This ideologically driven garbage concludes with an urge to educate children about the apparent dangers they face because, “these findings underscore the importance of tobacco prevention strategies, including comprehensive policies that address both SHS and SHA, to prevent youth exposure to this public health threat.”
In response, Clive Bates tweeted: “Ridiculous fake-news alarm about negligible risk. And if kids vape instead of smoking? Then good for health.”
Dr Attila Danko asked the CDC director: “Do you wear perfume? If so, it's likely you cause more exposure to 2nd hand toxins than vapers.”
Carl Phillips added: “Apparently the title, ‘Acting CDC Director’, comes with the behaviour pattern, ‘acting stupid’.” Not just the acting director, Carl, the whole team behind the study are worthy of Oscars too.
Photo Credit:
Wheelbarrow - http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Cart-Work-Transport-Wheelbarrow-Pus...
Muckspreading - https://pixabay.com/p-1302559
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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