The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything, including the vaping industry. Back in March 2020, COVID-19 brought the global economy to a halt, which we covered previously on eJuices.co. With the development of various vaccines to protect against COVID-19, as well as social distancing measures and mask wearing, we are returning back to normal (or at least a normal in which COVID-19 still exists). However, a study from the Mayo Clinic may have turned the narrative the media has been trying to push on its head, which may raise questions around regulating the vaping industry and the media’s approach to vaping in general.
The Media’s Role in Linking Vaping to COVID-19
Both vaping and COVID-19 may affect the lungs. Does that necessarily mean that vaping can cause COVID-19 or at least increase your risk of contracting COVID-19? This is not definitive. We know that correlation does not always mean causation. We also know that COVID-19 affects people differently—some people may not show symptoms at all, while others may experience one or more (or even all) symptoms. Numerous media outlets have attempted to tie COVID-19 to vaping, including many prominent news sources such as The New York Times, CNN, Wired, Scientific American, and USA Today.
The media has fueled numerous inaccurate narratives in the past. With vaping, the media is still learning about this method of nicotine consumption. The EVALI scare in 2019 was widely reported to be linked to vaping nicotine, but investigations failed to show any correlation. Now, the media is attempting to link vaping to COVID-19.
Why This Study Could Debunk The Vaping and COVID-19 Connection
The Mayo Clinic is considered one of the most reputable hospitals in the country. That being said, it is also home to many medical experts as well. The Mayo Clinic has used 70,000 patients for their study. The study design sorted patients by current or former use of vaping products, and the specific products they used (traditional nicotine consumption, vaping, or both). The study design was much closer to an ideal design on whether or not nicotine consumption through traditional methods or vaping itself would increase the risk of contracting COVID-19. The Mayo Clinic ran the study from September 15, 2019 to November 30, 2020, which means it would encompass both the EVALI scare and COVID-19.
The study’s authors said, “Our study found that such use does not appear to increase susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients seeking medical care. This result suggests the hypothesis that any effects of conventional cigarette smoking on susceptibility are not mediated by nicotine. Future work should evaluate whether e-cigarette use could moderate COVID-19 outcomes.” Medical studies need to be replicable, and with the spread of COVID-19 variants, it could be important to do more studies on vaping and COVID-19.
What This Means For Your Business
While this is just one study, it is vital to let your customers and your elected officials know
that the medical community has tested the association between vaping and COVID-19, and found that it does not increase the risk of COVID-19. With an election year around the corner, you might want to start using this as evidence that vaping has had no role in spreading COVID-19.
The eJuices.co team is here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always contact your eJuices.co account manager or sales representative. We’re looking forward to speaking with you.