Medicinal Vaping: A Golden Age of Medicine?

Greetings, vape nation.

Medicinal vaping, while largely undeveloped, stands to make a significant impact both positively and negatively on people’s health, the vaping industry and the delivery method of pharmaceutical drugs worldwide. Instead of being taken orally or via a hypodermic needle various pharmaceutical drugs could be vaped and enter the bloodstream directly via blood capillaries in the lungs. A world without needles could save countless lives through the prevention of numerous infectious diseases such as Hepatitis or HIV. Some forms of inhalants already exist with inhalers for asthmatics and, more recently, inhalable insulin.

Being able to vape a drug allows it to bypass your digestive system and enter your bloodstream quicker and with more intensity. Faster relief, smaller doses and more precise measurements of nicotine and other substances are all huge positives. People would never again have to risk infection due to an inability to access sterile medical equipment or forgo treatment due to a fear of needles.

There are some downsides to vaping being pulled into the realm of medicinal use. There really is no way to tell if someone is vaping a legal or illegal substance unless tested in a laboratory. This may lead to more negative stereotypes and increased hysteria surrounding vaping as a gateway drug. There is also the potential for harassment by the powers that be when almost any drug can be dissolved into VG and vaped. That knowledge could go hand in hand with a tremendous surge in arrests and overdoses especially among an at risk populace.

No matter what happens within this industry, vaping is here to stay. The FDA may put a strangle hold on hardware if certain legislation is passed, banning the use of any vaping hardware produced after 2007. However, unless the FDA also plans on banning wire, cotton, or heavily regulates and restricts batteries, people will vape. E-Juice being sold as a prescription only substance in order to stem the tide of abuse is where vapors may run into issues getting access to juice. This could also lead to the formation of a black market for E-Juice. For those unable to justify a prescription, attempting to mix their own juice or buying it from an unreliable source could hold it’s own dangers. As of now, the FDA takes an average of 12 years and several millions of dollars for the drug approval process. So, we may not see the formation of vape-able drugs like painkillers, antibiotics or supplements as a reality until sometime in the next decade. But that doesn’t mean we have to sit on our hands before we take action and let our voices be heard.

Whether or not vaping is pushed underground and a black market is formed by misguided and overly harsh vaping legislation is up to the people. All laws begin as ideas and they can come from citizens – like you! Vaping is a highly enjoyable hobby, an incredible tool and has changed thousands of lives* and could possibly help millions more, but it won’t happen by chance. Make your voice heard, not only for yourself and your family but for those who have no voice in their community’s politics.

Need help getting registered to vote?

https://vote.usa.gov/

Want to find your Representative?

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Curious how a bill becomes a law?

https://votesmart.org/education/how-a-bill-becomes-law#.VvQ43PkrKUk

*Researchers from University College London estimate that use of e-cigarettes produced 16K-22K additional long-term quitters in England in 2014. A long-term quitter is someone who has not smoked for at least one year.

(Source:http://www.addictionjournal.org/press-releases/e-cigarettes-are-estimated-to-have-helped-16000-22000-smokers-in-england-to-qu)

(Source: FDA Drug Approval Process; http://www.drugs.com/fda-approval-process.html sourced from FDA/center from drug evalution and research)

(Source: http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/the-journey-of-drugs-through-thebody-march-april-2013, sourced from Guyton, Arthur C., John E. Hall. 1991. Textbook of Medical Physiology, Saunders.

Patton, Kevin T., Gary A. Thibodeau. 1993. Anatomy & Physiology, Mosby.

Rang, Humphrey P., Maureen B. Dale, James M. Ritter. 1999. Pharmacology, Churchill Livingstone.

Brunton, Laurence, John Lazo, Keith Parker. 2006. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. McGraw-Hill Professional)