USA Today: Five myths and misconceptions about the nation's 2019 vaping illness crisis

[LoveVanilla]

Five myths and misconceptions about the nation's 2019 vaping illness crisis

A lack of certainty from the outset plagued the outbreak. The causes remained murky for much of the year and have been difficult for experts to tease out. Without clear answers to what caused the lung injuries, myths and misconceptions about the potential dangers gained traction as the number of confirmed cases of vaping-related lung illnesses nationwide topped 2,500, with 54 deaths.

I might as well just smoke
So. Not. True. About two-thirds of people who smoke will die because of it, and about 400,000 people a year do. Smoking-related illnesses include cancer, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease and other debilitating chronic diseases. Vince Willmore, spokesman for the Campaign for tobacco-Free Kids, says, "The absolute risks of the products (e-cigarettes) cannot be unambiguously determined at this time.” But if you switch completely from smoking to vaping – and don't do both – there's "conclusive evidence" that you will reduce your "exposure to numerous toxicants and carcinogens present in combustible tobacco cigarettes," according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in January 2018.