The harms of smoking cigarettes are pretty clear. Smoking causes cancer as well as heart and lung diseases, and it’s the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
When it comes to vaping, or electronic cigarettes, the risks are a bit more tricky to parse, especially if you read media reports about them. The outbreak of Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury, also known as EVALI, in 2019 and 2020 made things even more confusing.
The founders of Juul, the company that mainstreamed vaping in the early aughts, said they wanted to help people kick their smoking habits. But can vapes really help people quit? And how bad are they for you, really? And if you’re addicted to vaping, what’s the best way to stop?
To answer those questions and more, Host Ira Flatow talks with one of the top researchers in the field, Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
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Have you tried to quit vaping? What methods did you try? What’s been the hardest part? Call us at 646-767-6532 or send a voice memo to scifri@sciencefriday.com.
Further Reading
- Read Dr. Hartmann-Boyce’s review of research into tobacco addiction interventions, published in the journal Addiction.
- Read more about EVALI via the Cleveland Clinic.
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Segment Guests
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce
Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce is an assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Segment Transcript
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Meet the Producers and Host
About Shoshannah Buxbaum
Shoshannah Buxbaum is a producer for Science Friday. She’s particularly drawn to stories about health, psychology, and the environment. She’s a proud New Jersey native and will happily share her opinions on why the state is deserving of a little more love.
About Ira Flatow
Ira Flatow is the founder and host of Science Friday. His green thumb has revived many an office plant at death’s door.