Lighthouse Treatment Center Launches Vaping Awareness Campaign

Anaheim, California – The Lighthouse Treatment Center, a drug and alcohol recovery facility in Anaheim, California, has launched an awareness campaign that aims to spread critical information about vaping and the risks associated with this habit.

The campaign “Vaping Epidemic: Know the Risks” will make use of the Lighthouse website, blog pages, and social media channels that are accessible to the public. A downloadable vaping fact sheet that will provide an easy-to-digest overview about vaping will also be available.

Peter Davidson, President of the Lighthouse, shared that this campaign is a response to the rise in vaping among treatment residents, the recovery community, and local community members.

“The recent outbreak of vaping-related illnesses across the United States has raised serious concerns on the safety of vaping. As a treatment provider committed to the wellbeing of our local community, the Lighthouse is doing its part by offering online resources that can educate people on the potential risks of vaping,” said Davidson.

The popularity of vaping has increased with more than 3.6 million Americans reportedly hooked on the habit. According to Dr. Preet Joneja, PsyD, clinical director of the Lighthouse, opposing views exist in the literature about the innocuousness and aftereffects of vaping.

“Prior to launching this campaign, we at the Lighthouse took a closer look at the surrounding literature about vaping, views of local community users, and the controversy over its health risks. On one side of the argument, practitioners and policy makers insist that the use of e-cigarettes utilizes the harm minimization strategy of addiction to reduce harmful effects of conventional cigarettes. The other side pledges that, even though there are lower levels of carcinogens than conventional cigarettes, vaping exposes users to other toxins that lead to cardiovascular risks and lung disease,” said Dr. Joneja.

Dr. Joneja added, however, that a majority of vape users are still not well informed about the potential dangers of vaping. “This campaign aims to provide our community with helpful resources on vaping health risks. For people who would like to quit vaping, we are also offering information on evidenced-based prevention and cessation treatment options and treatment of addictive lifestyle behaviors.”