October 2019 Volume 1, Issue 6
ARMC Tobacco Cessation Department
NEW-LUNG Newsletter
A retail display of many e-liquid flavors.
As of October 1, 2019, 1,080 people have fallen ill in addition to 23 confirmed deaths relating to lung injuries caused by e-cigarette/ vape use. No specific brand has been pinpointed, but cases in Illinois and Wisconsin are linked to THC vapes under the brand Dank Vapes*.
Many affected were healthy individuals with no prior illnesses. The median age for the victims is 23, but the median age for fatalities is 50 years old. There are cases across 48 states, mostly occurring in California, Illinois, Texas, and Wisconsin. Of these cases, most patients reported the usage of nicotine and THC vapes.
Patients reported experiencing symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting over the course of a few days up to several weeks. According to doctors, these symptoms resemble inhalation injury.
It is not yet known what specific chemical exposures are causing lung injuries at this time. With current ongoing information into the direct causes of the lung injuries, the CDC recommends everyone to immediately stop using e-cigarettes and vapes.
*Dank Vapes are generic-brand packaging that is not associated with any specific distributor, store, or company and can be bought in bulk.
Source: Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with E-Cigarette Use, or Vaping.
In September, we helped 415 people quit smoking!
184 Adults Served
87 Youths Served
Upcoming Classes
St. Joseph Heritage
955 W. Imperial Hwy., Brea, CA November 4 & 11
Fountain Valley Regional Hospital 11250 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley E. Tower Oncology Library - 4th Floor November 5 & 12
Stanton Community Service Center 11822 Santa Paula St., Stanton, November 5 & 12
Calendar Highlights
Oct. 18 - National Mammography Day
Oct. 23 - National Medical Assistants’ Day
Oct. 25 - World Pasta Day
Oct. 31 - Halloween
Quit Tip: Friends help friends
Tell a friend you are quitting. They can support you through your quitting process.
Landmark Study Linking Vaping to Cancer in Mice
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is the first study to link vaping nicotine to cancer definitively.
The study found that e-cigarette vapors cause DNA damage in the lungs and inhibit DNA repair in the damaged lung tissue. The experiment was conducted among a population of 60 mice for 54 weeks. 40 mice were exposed to e-cigarette smoke with nicotine, and 20 mice were exposed to e-cigarette smoke without nicotine. Of those 40 mice exposed, 9 mice (22.5%) developed lung cancer and 23 mice (57.5%) developed precancerous lesions on the bladder. The amount of smoke the mice were exposed to was similar to the amount of smoke a human would inhale if they vaped regularly for 3-6 years.
NYU professor and lead researcher, Moon-Shong Tang, said the study was statistically very significant. It shows that there needs to be more research about the relationship between e-cigarette use and cancer in humans. Unfortunately, since the market is young, there might be another decade before we truly know the full impact of e-cigarettes on humans. Tang noted that there is a difference between [vapes] being safer than cigarettes and being safe in general. Some people might say vaping is safer than cigarettes, at the same time, it’s also causing cancer in mice.
Source: Researchers find e-cigarettes cause lung cancer in mice in first study tying vaping to cancer.
Staff Spotlight
Meet Jennycel Birondo
Tobacco Cessation Specialist
My mom is the role model I aspire to be. After coming to America, my mom got her nursing degree, worked to keep income flowing, and all while raising a family.
She gave me a head start in my career by introducing me to the healthcare field. I get the privilege of talking to a variety of people from different backgrounds, and it has opened my eyes to the desperate need for healthcare reform. It pains me to see how many people struggle with health issues and run into a dead-end because they cannot get help. I want to work to eliminate health disparities across all backgrounds. Working for NEW-LUNG has solidified that decision for me.
My mom was not always around, and I felt like I missed out on having a mother. I continued not to understand until I started college, then it all made sense. All those years that mom was busy, she was doing the best for the future of her family. Now, I’m going to school to get my Masters in Public Health while working full time. When it gets hard, and I get discouraged, my mom tells me: this hardship is temporary. Your hard work will pay off in the future. And she’s totally right; I need to “just keep swimming.”
NEW-LUNG Testimonials
Good tips on how to handle stress and we all learned how to deep breathe together when we feel stressful. Specialist gave great information and I learned a lot about how to deal with my triggers. -Eva M.
My family is very happy when I told them I was quitting. In class, Jenny and I talked about why I wanted to quit and we made sure to write down the reasons and put it where I’ll be reminded. This is a great program. I want more people to know about where to go if they want to quit!!! -Edwin Z.
This has been a great experience and perfect timing. I think we all want to quit but are scared of how tough it may be. Naz is super informative and gives you the tools to stop smoking! -Bradley S.
In Collaboration With: Tim Tatum, District Coordinator Student Services & Health Services
In an effort to address the significant rise in vaping use among students over the past few years, the Saddleback Valley Unified School District is contracting with the Anaheim Regional Medical Center, specifically the NEW-LUNG program, to implement vaping and tobacco cessation education with students.
Specifically, students in grades 7-12 who are found to be vaping on campus, are referred to a one-time 60 minute vaping and tobacco cessation seminar class. These classes occur one time per month and are hosted at various secondary schools across the District. During this informational class, the cessation specialist reviews the risks and hazards of vaping, the various chemicals that are contained in vapes, investigates reasons students are vaping, and discusses replacement behaviors or different ways students can feel a more “natural high,” without engaging in the risky behavior of vaping. At the end of the seminar, the specialist gives students the opportunity to chart their goals, map out their plan to stop vaping, and what steps need to occur to make that happen.
For students who receive 2nd offenses for vaping related incidents, they are referred to a 4-class series, where they attend four consecutive one-hour classes. During the series, since a pattern has been established with a 2nd or subsequent offense, the cessation specialist reviews more in-depth strategies for students to use to begin the process of quitting.
Please RSVP if you would like to sign up.
CALL 1-866-NEW LUNG (639-5864)
Free quit vaping classes are available.
*Must attend ALL CLASSES of 5 session class series.
Participants receive a FREE SUPPLY OF NICOTINE PATCHES.
Funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency/Tobacco Use Prevention Program.