Tonia CoxQ: My mother is going to start keeping my baby girl when I go back to work; she also smokes. I talked to her about the risks of second- and third-hand smoke to her granddaughter. She isn’t ready to quit, and she wants to replace her cigarettes with the new electronic ones. Are these safe for my baby to be around?
A: “Vaping” is the common term for electronic nicotine delivery systems. They often look like a small straw. Although they emit water vapor instead of smoke, they also release other chemicals, including nicotine, formaldehyde and cancer-causing acrolein. There is inadequate scientific information about the health effects of vaping, and they are not regulated by any state or federal agency. There has already been a case of death in a 1-year-old in December who died after ingesting liquid nicotine used for vaping. A safer option for your mom would be to use an FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy under the guidance of her doctor or a coach through the Quit Line, a free program that provides an individualized quit plan and coach. Their number is 1-800-Quit-NOW
— Dr. Tonia Cox, MD, CHI Memorial Pediatric Care Associates; Member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
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