Published: December 11, 2018

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS ISSUING AN UPDATED PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY ON ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS BASED ON RECENT FEDERAL REGULATORY ACTION AND NEW EVIDENCE OF RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH USE OF E-CIGARETTES AND SIMILAR DEVICES.  ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE, THE CONCERN LEVEL FOR THESES PRODUCTS HAS RAISED DUE TO GROWING EVIDENCE ABOUT THE SERIOUS RISKS TO THE HEALTH OF EVERYONE ESPECIALLY CHILDREN AND TEENS.  AMONG THE RISKS CITED IN THE NEW TDH PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY INCLUDE THE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES BY YOUTH PLACES THEM AT AN INCREASED RISK OF BECOMING FUTURE SMOKERS OF COMBUSTIBLE PRODUCTS SUCH AS CIGARETTES.  IN TENNESSEE, 40 PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE USED AN ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEM AND 11.5 PERCENT REPORT CURRENT USE. THESE PRODUCTS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN WAYS THAT APPEAL TO YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR USE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO TN DOT GOV.