Public Health Threats: Vaping and Opioids

The misuse of opioids and e-cigarettes have become serious public health issues across the United States. On Long Island alone, the opioid epidemic is costing consumers, taxpayers, and businesses $8 billion in medical bills and lost productivity, according to a new report from the Fiscal Policy Institute.

Now, legislators across the nation are beginning to take action. Michigan just became the first state to outlaw flavored e-cigarettes and vaping products, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced plans to ban flavored e-cigarettes.  Meanwhile, an Oklahoma trial judge has fined Johnson & Johnson $572 million, the first time a drug company has been held responsible for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Most recently, settlement talks have stalled between Purdue Pharma, the maker of painkiller OxyContin, and state attorneys general regarding more than 2,000 lawsuits against the company and its owners – possibly setting the stage for the first federal trial to address the opioid crisis.

Experts who can weigh in on the subject include:

Ling Huang, a chemistry professor who studies the science and dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping.

Genevieve Weber, a licensed mental health counselor and addiction expert who can discuss treatment options and the toll that the epidemic takes on families.

Janet Dolgin, healthcare law professor and director of the Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy.