美国国家公共电台 NPR What We Know (And Don't) About The Dangers Of Vaping

 

MADDIE SOFIA, HOST:

You're listening to SHORT WAVE from NPR. Maddie Sofia here. Thanks for checking out this episode of SHORT WAVE, the daily science podcast from NPR. Here today with NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey.

Hey, Allison.

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE¹: Hey there, Maddie.

SOFIA: Today we're talking about something that's in the headlines a lot right now...

AUBREY: Yup.

SOFIA: ...Vaping.

AUBREY: Right.

SOFIA: And you're going to start us off today with a story about a young woman that you met recently, Piper Johnson.

AUBREY: Right. So she's 18. And when she was in high school, her sophomore² year, she started vaping. Then last summer, right around the time when her family was packing up the car to take her off to college, she started feeling some pain in her chest.

PIPER JOHNSON: You know, I didn't really think anything of it. I took some Advil for it. And then the day we left, I was like, I think I have bronchitis or something. Like, I was running a fever. My heart rate was, like, super, super high. I was super, like, lethargic³ and stuff.

AUBREY: So instead of heading to the college campus, she and her mom went to the hospital - first to the ER, and then to the ICU.

JOHNSON: My oxygen levels just kept going down, like more and more. First they put me on, like, one liter, then two liter. And then I had to be moved to the ICU because I was on 35 liters of oxygen.

SOFIA: Wow, that - she is, like, barely breathing on her own.

AUBREY: Right, gasping⁴ for air. And here's the crazy thing. I mean, all along, the doctors are like, oh, you have pneumonia⁵. Oh, we're going to put you on antibiotics⁶. It must be some kind of infectious disease. Have you been around other sick people? It took a long time before they realized this was vaping.

JOHNSON: Oh, I was terrified. I had no idea what was happening to me because I was, like, perfectly⁷ healthy a week ago.

AUBREY: I think Piper's story really brings into focus this wider epidemic⁸ of vaping. There are about 1,300 people like Piper who've become crazy sick - right? - in the hospital, walking around one day healthy, a week later, barely breathing.

SOFIA: Right.

AUBREY: So these cases, these very odd cases that come on out of nowhere, have really begun to shine a spotlight⁹ on this habit of vaping that used to be talked about as an alternative to smoking.

SOFIA: So today on SHORT WAVE, what we do know and what we don't about why vapors¹⁰ are getting sick.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SOFIA: So how's Piper doing now?

AUBREY: You know, she's doing a whole lot better. She's actually in school doing fine. She has stopped vaping. And now she has become this advocate to get other young people, young adults like her, to stop. She participated in a rally. She demonstrated outside the offices of the e-cigarette company Juul this month as part of this big awareness¹¹ campaign.

JOHNSON: I don't want to have anyone else go through, like, the pain I experienced because honestly, it was the most painful experience of my entire life. Like, I was laying in my bed, like, sobbing¹² because it hurt so bad to breathe. Like, nobody should have to go through that.

SOFIA: Do we know why these people are getting sick from vaping?

AUBREY: That is the million-dollar question, Maddie. A majority of patients acknowledge vaping THC - that's the psychoactive component¹³ of marijuana. Many have used a type of counterfeit¹⁴ vapes called dank vapes.

SOFIA: OK, dank vapes? Are we talking about a company or...

AUBREY: Well, not a company, really. It's sort of a label that gets slapped onto some of these cartridges¹⁵, these bootleg cartridges. And you really don't know what's in them.

SOFIA: Right. And dank is, like, code for...

AUBREY: Dank is kind of cool - good weed, I think. I don't know. Am I right?

SOFIA: I'm very impressed. Keep going.

AUBREY: OK. But, you know, that said, the outbreak of this epidemic is unclear. I mean, in the beginning, there was this hunt for this singular cause. You kept hearing from the CDC any day, like no stone unturned. We're going to find the thing causing this epidemic. Well, turns out it's probably a lot more complicated. I mean, for starters, some people have only been vaping nicotine¹⁶. And let's just talk about what you find in these nicotine vaping fluids.

All right, for starters, there's a nicotine, one of the most addictive¹⁷ substances known. Then you add in a little volatile¹⁸ organic compounds, such as benzene.

SOFIA: Not great.

AUBREY: Who doesn't want that in their lungs? Put some trace metals in there. Sound appealing? Then you're going to top off this cocktail¹⁹ with the flavorings. Now we know that the flavorings are part of what teens are attracted to.

SOFIA: Right.

AUBREY: They say, oh, it's watermelon flavor. It's, you know, Juicy Fruit flavor. Well, guess what? They don't make the watermelon flavor out of the fruit.

SOFIA: Right (laughter).

AUBREY: They make these things out of chemicals. And one chemical they use is called diacetyl. Diacetyl is definitely not something you want to be voluntarily putting into your lungs. It can lead to this condition where the tiny air sacs in your lungs become scarred and narrowed. And this is not lost on investigators²⁰ at the CDC. Here's the woman leading the investigation²¹. Her name is Anne Schuchat.

ANNE SCHUCHAT: There may be a lot of different nasty things in e-cigarette or vaping products. And they may cause different harms in the lung. It is pretty much impossible for you to know what is in the e-cigarette or vaping product.

SOFIA: So the government doesn't even know what's in this stuff, right? And yet, it feels like it's becoming more and more popular.

SCHUCHAT: Absolutely. Teen vaping has definitely become more popular. Federal surveys show that 25% of high school seniors say they have vaped nicotine in the last 30 days.

SOFIA: Wow.

SCHUCHAT: That's an astounding²² number.

SOFIA: OK. And we should say for people who are like, why is it surprising that vaping is unhealthy, this stuff has been heavily marketed as a healthy alternative to cigarettes, as a way to get you off cigarettes, right?

SCHUCHAT: That's right. I mean, Juul, which is far and away the biggest company making these e-cigarettes, earlier this year launched a big ad campaign called Make the Switch.

(SOUNDBITE OF COMMERCIAL)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: I was a pack-a-day smoker²³ for 33 years.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: I popped a pod in it and took a couple of puffs²⁴. And I was surprised at how similar it was to a cigarette.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: He uses Juul in the house whenever he wants. So it keeps him in our house instead of keeping him out of our house.

SOFIA: Wow.

AUBREY: You know, I should point out that it is possible that if you're a two pack a day cigarette smoker, switching to e-cigarettes could be beneficial. There could be some harm reduction there. But public health experts agree that there is no chance at all that hooking a new generation of young people on nicotine via these e-cigarettes is a good thing to do.

SOFIA: OK. So we mentioned the government can't say exactly what these things are that might be dangerous for some people. Is there anything they are doing in the meantime?

AUBREY: Well, you know, they're doing lots of things. The CDC has intensified²⁵ its warnings. The FDA has galvanized its criminal unit to start investigating. But really, right now, it's still a big, hot mess. I mean, we're talking illicit²⁶ THC, regulated, you know, e-cigarette products. There's so many possibilities out there. I will say that the regulation of e-cigarettes clearly falls under the FDA purview²⁷. And President Trump²⁸ at one point came out in support of a national ban on flavored e-cigarettes. But so far, there's been no action on the federal level. We have seen states step in to act independently.

SOFIA: Right, right.

AUBREY: And more states are looking into it.

SOFIA: So this is something you've talked about before. But, you know, this is personal for you. You've got the teens at home.

AUBREY: That's right. I have two teenage sons. And my older son was a freshman²⁹ in high school. And so one day, we were in the driveway. And my husband spotted³⁰ this plastic metally (ph) thing that was cracked on the driveway. And he picked it up. And my husband was like, I think this might be this vaping thing.

SOFIA: Your husband was like...

AUBREY: I was kind of like...

SOFIA: ...That's a dank vape, Allison.

AUBREY: (Laughter) Right, yeah. No, we were both sort of clueless, right? Here we are, these middle-aged³¹ people. Our son is vaping, and we're like, what is this, right? So we - finally, we confront him. And, you know, he acknowledges, yes, it is a vape, and, quote, unquote, "everybody is doing it," right?

SOFIA: Right.

AUBREY: You know. And I think the reason why my husband and I were so alarmed by this is that this stuff, nicotine, is so incredibly addictive, right? I mean, there's now evidence that it primes the brain for addiction³² to other substances. It can definitely get in the way of learning. It can cause attention problems. I mean, there's just a host of stuff that's bad about this. And Juul and other vape makers³³ have found a way to make these vapes really, really potent³⁴. They're using nicotine salts. And experts say this may be making it even more addictive.

SOFIA: Right. And there really is this, like, vaping culture in high school your son kind of alluded³⁵ to.

AUBREY: Absolutely.

SOFIA: I mean, I remember watching these videos of kids kind of showing off smoking in the classroom, like, when the teachers' backs were turned, right?

AUBREY: As if it were designed to be hidden.

SOFIA: Yeah. Yes. And so there's that culture combined with the, like, truly addicting³⁶ substance of nicotine that feels like it's just creating this environment for a new generation to pick up nicotine in a way that's kind of been advertised as, you know, not so bad.

AUBREY: And, you know, critics are saying look; I mean, our generation, my generation of teenagers, they're the guinea pigs here.

SOFIA: NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey, thank you.

AUBREY: Thank you, Maddie.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SOFIA: I'm Mandy Sofia. Come back tomorrow for an episode about the science of ASMR and how that's connected to a big Internet trend of the moment, slime. That's tomorrow on SHORT WAVE from NPR.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 sophomore   

n.大学二年级生；adj.第二年的

参考例句：

• He is in his sophomore year.他在读二年级。
• I'm a college sophomore majoring in English.我是一名英语专业的大二学生。

3 lethargic   

adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的

参考例句：

• He felt too miserable and lethargic to get dressed.他心情低落无精打采，完全没有心思穿衣整装。
• The hot weather made me feel lethargic.炎热的天气使我昏昏欲睡。

4 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

5 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

6 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

8 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

9 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

10 vapors   

n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• His emotions became vague and shifted about like vapors. 他的心情则如同一团雾气，变幻无常，捉摸不定。 来自辞典例句
• They have hysterics, they weep, they have the vapors. 他们歇斯底里，他们哭泣，他们精神忧郁。 来自辞典例句

11 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

12 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

13 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

14 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

15 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

16 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

17 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

18 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

19 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

20 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

22 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

24 puffs   

n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• We sat exchanging puffs from that wild pipe of his. 我们坐在那里，轮番抽着他那支野里野气的烟斗。 来自辞典例句
• Puffs of steam and smoke came from the engine. 一股股蒸汽和烟雾从那火车头里冒出来。 来自辞典例句

25 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

27 purview   

n.范围；眼界

参考例句：

• These are questions that lie outside the purview of our inquiry.这些都不是属于我们调查范围的问题。
• That,however,was beyond the purview of the court;it was a diplomatic matter.但是，那已不在法庭权限之内；那是个外交问题。

28 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

29 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

30 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

31 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

32 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

33 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

35 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

36 addicting   

使沉溺（addict的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• I love salt and vinegar chips. They are very addicting. 我爱盐和醋芯片。他们非常上瘾。
• Leave it to Britney to sing a juicy and addicting song. 布兰妮呈现了一首很刺激也很让人上瘾的歌曲！