Are E-Cigarettes Ok To Use ?
電子たばこは安全？
When I went back to work after my daughter was born, I was a new mother so I was unsure about everything. I asked a lot of questions from my patients who are parents. Since my kids were less than 1 year apart, both were in diapers and using bottles at the same time. Those times were tough! I remember asking a father, “Does this get better? Someone told me it does.” He was quiet for bit. Then he laughed and said, “Whoever told you it gets better…they lied to you!” I was shocked. He continues, “It’s just different ages, different problems!” Being a parent is never easy no matter what age your child is I’ve come to realize.
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My daughter is now in high school and my son is in middle school. One of the big topics now are e-cigarettes. A recent article says that the use of e-cigarettes with middle and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014. One study says that 9% of 8th graders reported using an e-cigarette. Imagine, close to 1 out of 10 kids that are 14 years old have used an e-cigarette! Now, e-cigarette use has even overtaken regular cigarette use. They often come with different flavors such as bubblegum, or chocolate ice cream that are attractive to teens. But are e-cigarettes as safe as companies want us to believe? They say that it is a healthier alternative to smoking. How wrong! Not using any tobacco-related product is the only way to stay healthier.
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Nicotine is dangerous in any product, at any age. Teenage years are especially important for brain development. Nicotine use may cause harm to brain development, may cause addiction and may lead to future tobacco use.
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As my kids spend more and more time with their friends at school and less time with me at home, there are still more lessons in life that I have to teach them. When they were young, I taught them not to smoke cigarettes but e-cigarettes were not around. Lessons from parents to children will never end no matter what age.（次回は９月第２週号掲載）
〈Keyword〉nicotine ニコチン e-cigarettes 電子たばこ ※香料やニコチンを添加した液体を蒸気にして吸えるようにしたたばこ代替および禁煙対策用の電子機器
〈プロフィル〉Dr. Clara Lee ニューヨーク大学歯学部卒業。ニューヨーク大学ブルックデール病院でチーフレジデンス修了。13年以上に及ぶ臨床経験は一般歯科、コスメティック、インプラントを含む。インビザライン認定医。Waterside Dental Care院長として古山医師と共に、多くの日本人患者さんを治療。Dentistryをこよなく愛している。記事提供：Waterside dental Care（Tel：212-683-6260）
