Electronic Cigarette Use during Pregnancy: Is It Harmful?

Although combustible cigarette smoking rates have declined in recent years, alternative tobacco product use, particularly electronic cigarette use ("vaping"), has increased among young adults. Recent studies indicate that vaping during pregnancy is on the rise, possibly due to the perception that it is a safer alternative to combustible cigarette smoking. However, e-cigarette aerosols may contain several newer, potentially toxic compounds, including some known developmental toxicants that may adversely impact both the mother and the fetus. However, there is paucity of studies that have examined the effects of vaping during pregnancy. While the adverse perinatal outcomes of cigarette smoking during pregnancy are well established, the specific risks associated with inhaling vaping aerosols during pregnancy requires more research. In this article, we discuss the existing evidence and knowledge gaps on the risks of vaping during pregnancy. Studies that investigate vaping-associated systemic exposure and its effects (i.e., biomarker analyses) and maternal and neonatal clinical health outcomes are needed to reach more robust conclusions. We particularly emphasize the need to go beyond comparative studies with cigarettes, and advocate for research that objectively evaluates the safety of e-cigarettes and other alternative tobacco products.

Sex Differences in Electronic Cigarette Device Use Among College Students.

Electronic cigarette use (vaping) has reached epidemic levels in the United States among teenagers and young adults. However, there is a paucity of studies that have examined the relationships between e-cigarette device types and user characteristics. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize e-cigarette device use among a college population with a focus on sex differences in preferred vaping device. We employed a Qualtrics-based smartphone/online survey to gather responses on e-cigarette use; including device type, demographics and other related information during the period October 1, 2020 to January 30, 2022 in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area. Participants were recruited via flyers with a QR code to the survey. The differences in e-cigarette device type used by the characteristics of the university e-cigarette users were assessed using either a Chi-square analysis or Fisher's Test. The magnitude of any association between the characteristics of the participants and vaping device used was analyzed via logistic regression. Out of 394 students who participated in the survey, 61 reported current exclusive e-cigarette use (15.5%) among our 18-24-year-old college student sample. Among vapers; more females reported use of Disposable e-cigarettes or Juul (pod-type) as their primary vaping device compared to males, who preferred Tanks and Mods + other rechargeable e-cigarettes (p < 0.05). Males also vaped more days per week compared to females. Vaping among young college students remains at concerning levels. The primary vaping device used significantly varies by the users' sex, making it an important factor to consider in future studies.

The Impact of COVID-19 Related Changes on Air Quality in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

Air pollution is responsible for a wide range of health effects in exposed populations. Variations in local air pollution can affect local population health outcomes. The strict regulations imposed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic ('lockdowns') resulted in a unique situation where human mobility was limited significantly, resulting in improved air quality in several major cities. The main goal of this study was to investigate if lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted air quality in Birmingham, Alabama-a city with a history of high air pollution levels-with a focus on PM2.5 (Particulate Matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm) and NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide). Daily air pollutant and traffic data were obtained for the Birmingham Metropolitan Area for the period January to October 2020, and previous years. Mean PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations and traffic volumes during the official city/state lockdown period (24 March to 30 April 2020) were compared to pre- and post-lockdown means. The mean PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations during the lockdown did not significantly differ from that of the pre- or post-lockdown periods. However, NO2 significantly decreased even after the lockdown order was removed, with the mean decreasing significantly compared to pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. Both PM2.5 and NO2 annual means in 2020 were significantly lower than the annual means in 2019, indicating the occurrence of significant changes over the longer term that were not limited by defined lockdown periods. Traffic significantly increased after the lockdown order was removed but did not correlate with the two pollutants studied. Therefore, we conclude that the Stay at Home/lockdown regulations and other COVID-19 restrictions had an impact on the air quality of Birmingham Alabama; although these lockdown impacts varied for each pollutant and were not limited only by the official lockdown dates/periods.