Quitting for a better future

By Anthony Matt

Nearly one in three adults with a history of heart attack, heart failure, stroke or other cardiovascular disease report ongoing use of cigarettes or other tobacco products. While cigarettes are the most common tobacco product currently being used, cigars, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco also contribute to nicotine addiction.

“Tobacco use is the single greatest preventable cause of death in the world today,” said Dr. Catherine Benziger, a cardiologist at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Vaping, often marketed as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, contains harmful substances. Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol (or vapor) produced from an e-cigarette or similar device, like smoking a cigarette. Women are more likely than men to use e-cigarettes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaping and the use of e-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco. There is limited data about the impact of these aerosols from e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and coil-less, ultrasonic vaping devices on long-term health and heart function.

According to Dr. Benziger: “We know from research that inhalation of particles, whether from tobacco or marijuana, from combustible cigarettes or vaping, can cause negative effects on the lungs and blood vessels.”

Dr. Benziger says the use of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes has been found to be more common than using e-cigarettes alone. “Nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes can be quite high, worsening nicotine addiction,” she said.

Tobacco companies also have been targeting flavored tobacco to minority communities as well as youths, which has fueled a surge in nicotine addiction. Millions of kids are at risk of a lifetime of tobacco use and addition because of vaping. In 2020, the Minnesota Department of Health reported 20% of high school students used e-cigarettes.

“We must teach our youth to live a heart-healthy lifestyle and don’t start using tobacco,” Dr. Benziger said. “Talking to children and adolescents about these products can help protect them. Tell them that you care and that vaping is not safe.”

The American Heart Association, a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives, also advocates for Life’s Simple 7. These three factors (normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, normal blood sugar) and four behaviors (normal body mass index, at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, a hearthealthy diet and not smoking) have been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

What can we do to help women quit? Jill Doberstein, program manager of the tobacco treatment services at Essentia, says: “We are here to help. It’s never too late to take the first step. Our comprehensive, evidenced-based cessation program works. This interdisciplinary team, including a trained tobacco treatment specialist, works closely with the primary care provider, social worker, psychologist and cardiologist to provide smokingcessation therapies and counseling to women with cardiovascular disease.”

Regarding long-term impacts, Dr. Benziger said: “Globally, there are over 1.1 billion smokers and one in five deaths is due to tobacco.”

Dr. Benziger advocates for swift action to end tobacco use and nicotine addiction in our communities. Public health policies, such as the statewide Minnesota Tobacco 21 law that went into effect on Aug. 1, 2021, and raised the age of tobacco sales from 18 to 21; stronger regulation of the tobacco industry; removal of non-tobacco flavored products from the market; raising the price of tobacco products via taxes; effective youthtargeted counter-marketing campaigns to reduce tobacco use among youth; and improved funding and availability of tobaccocessation programs and tools for high-risk populations is urgently needed. D