JACKSON, Miss. – In a new Southern Remedy documentary called Vaping: Clouded by Controversy, advocates and critics of e-cigarette use share how the trend is impacting lives in Mississippi. The premiere airs at 7 p.m. August 30 on MPB Television. Encore presentations will air at noon September 2 and 10 p.m. September 3.
Vaping is a $2.5 billion industry only 15 years old. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that using e-cigarettes has the potential to benefit some people and harm others. Vaping involves using an electronic device or vape to heat flavored and nicotine liquids into a vape tool to puff. Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars or pipes, while others resemble pens, USB sticks, and other everyday items, according to the CDC.
The Southern Remedy documentary includes interviews from former cigarette smokers who credit vaping for helping them quit, vape shop owners, healthcare professionals, and current vape users, some of whom first tried vaping in their teens.
“As Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s flagship health and wellness initiative, Southern Remedy sets out to educate Mississippians about health issues,” said Kathryn Rodenmeyer, executive producer, Southern Remedy TV. “Vaping is a public health concern that touches the lives of Mississippians, especially young people. We present a variety of perspectives on the issue, so the public can make informed decisions about their health.”
Viewers will hear from Mike Jefcoat, founder of Mississippi Vaping Advocacy Association and a vape shop owner. Jefcoat had smoked cigarettes for 37 years but after being introduced to vaping, he quit using tobacco altogether.
Dr. Thomas Payne, Ph.D., director of the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment,
Education and Research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, explains concerns medical professionals have about the safety of ingredients in vaping products. “What it started out as is not important. It’s what it ends up as is what’s most important,” said Payne, noting that ingredients can change once heated in a vape tool.
Few regulations exist to monitor the vaping industry. As a result, critics claim the industry is unfairly marketing to teenagers. And while the products can possibly wean individuals from tobacco use, big tobacco companies are now selling vaping products as well.
Years of research will be needed to understand the long-term health effects of vaping.
Southern Remedy is underwritten by a grant from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
