Lance's Corner

CDC Highlights Protecting Youth from Vaping

Aug 29, 2024

Per the notice below, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is highlighting protecting youth from vaping.

Helpful Tips for Protecting Youth from the Harms of Vaping

At a glance

E-cigarettes, or vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol.  Vapes come in many shapes and sizes, and they typically contain nicotine.  No tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe, especially for youth.  Parents, educators, and health care providers play an important role in helping youth reject or quit tobacco use, including e-cigarette use.  Talk with youth about vaping, help them understand the risks, and empower them to practice healthy behaviors and positive coping skills.

Father and son sitting on the stadium bleachers talking

Vaping, Youth, and Stress

E-cigarettes, or vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol.  Vapes come in many shapes and sizes, and they typically contain nicotine.  No tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe.  This is especially true for youth, whose brains are still developing until about age 25.  Using nicotine during these years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.  There are many reasons youth might vape.  Many students who vape report using e-cigarettes because they feel anxious, stressed, or depressed.  E-cigarette marketing and advertising, the availability of appealing flavors, social influences, and the effects of nicotine all play a role in why youth start and/or continue to vape.

  • The most common reason students give for trying an e-cigarette is because a friend used them.
    • The most common reason students give for currently using e-cigarettes is feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed.

      Nicotine is highly addictive.  Nicotine addiction can harm mental health and be a source of stress.  Nicotine addiction or withdrawal can contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, or make these feelings worse.  Youth might use tobacco products to relieve their symptoms, which can lead to a cycle of nicotine addiction.  Parents, educators, and health care providers are trusted sources of information for youth.  They can talk to youth about vaping and help them learn healthy coping skills instead of vaping such as:

      • Recognizing and managing stressful feelings.  Help youth identify what causes their stress or anxiety and help them proactively manage stress when they start feeling this way.
        • Practicing relaxation techniques.  Encourage positive stress management techniques, like meditation, listening to music, or deep breathing.
          • Building a support system.  Provide support when youth feel stressed and encourage them to reach out to family and friends.
            • Practicing self-care.  Teach youth how they can manage their feelings of stress by taking care of themselves, including eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep.
              • Staying active.  Empower youth to manage their stress and anxiety by getting physical activity every day.

                E-cigarette Use Among Youth

                E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth.  In 2023, 2.1 million (7.7%) students currently used e-cigarettes.  This includes:

                • 550,000 (4.6%) middle school students.
                  • 1.56 million (10.0%) high school students.

                    Resources for Parents, Educators, and Health Care Providers‎

                    No tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe, especially for children, teens, and young adults.  Learn how to protect youth from the harms of vaping with resources from the Empower Vape-Free Youth Campaign.

                    How To Support Youth To Quit Vaping

                    Many youth who vape want to quit and have tried to quit.  However, nicotine addiction can make quitting hard.  Like quitting smoking, people may experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit vaping.  Youth may not know where to start or what resources are available to help them quit.  There are many free and low-cost resources available to help, some designed specifically for teens who vape.

                    Visual depiction of different groups who can help protect youth from the harms of vaping
                    Individuals and organizations can play an important role in helping youth reject or quit vaping and all other tobacco products.

                    Parents, educators, and health care providers all play important roles in helping youth reject or quit tobacco use, including vaping.  Working together will help ensure that youth live healthy, tobacco-free lives.  Parents and educators can:

                    • Help youth develop skills to safely cope with stress.
                      • Help youth resist social pressure to vape.

                        Educators can:

                        • Encourage students to build a support system of family, friends, and educators who will help them stay vape-free.
                          • Empower youth to talk to a doctor or other health care provider about treatment options.

                            Health care providers can:

                            • Ask patients if they use any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
                              • Inform patients who vape about treatment options and quitting support resources.
                                • Learn about health care provider resources.

                                  Resources to help

                                  There are many free resources available to help youth reject or quit tobacco use, including vaping.

                                  USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

                                  The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

                                  Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

                                  The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

                                  Download the guide

                                  Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

                                  The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

                                  Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

                                  The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

                                  Read the brief

                                  Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

                                  The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

                                  Download the policy brief

                                  Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

                                  The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

                                  Download the report

                                  Working with Long COVID

                                  The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

                                  Download the fact sheet

                                  COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

                                  This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

                                  Watch the motion graphic

                                  A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

                                  In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

                                  Listen to the podcast

                                  HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

                                  Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

                                  Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

                                  Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

                                  Outcomes

                                  • Investigations1 - 556
                                  • Indicted/Charged - 9
                                  • Convictions - 8
                                  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
                                  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

                                  Resources

                                  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
                                  • Staff on Board4 - 257

                                  1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

                                  2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

                                  3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

                                  4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

                                  Read the Full Report

                                  View the Statistical Chart

                                  Engage with the Interactive Map

                                  GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

                                  The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
                                  https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
                                  https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

                                  CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

                                  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
                                  https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc