There's dangers of e-cigarettes

It's becoming more obvious that the e-cigarette is equally, if not more dangerous than other forms of tobacco. Nicotinic acid is often delivered in higher doses than in cigarettes and is as addicting as cocaine and significantly contributes to hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. Although the inhaled products of the e-cig may not be the same as tobacco, they are proving to be equally or more damaging to the lung.

The industry bombards our youth with more than $8 billion in advertising yearly and laces its inhalations with flavors attractive to children. With large cell lung cancer still leading all cancers both in incidence and death rate -- 90-plus percent occurring in smokers -- shouldn't we be doing more to prevent our children from becoming addicted?

The Public Health Department website recommends the following: 1) Include e-cigarettes in smoke-free laws, including advertising. 2) Regulate and tax e-cigs in the same way as all other products. 3) Remove all flavors, including menthol, which makes these products more attractive to children. 4) Enforce the new federal law that raises the age limit of the sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21. And remember, "Don't ever smoke and don't ever chew, and don't go out with girls (boys) that do."

RICHARD A MARTIN MD, Cape Girardeau