A question about vapor cigarettes

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I have had a few patients smoke vapor cigarettes in their rooms. We have no policy against it and if it keeps my restless patient happy I honestly don't have a problem with it (a point which is not the topic of this thread. If you want to debate right or wrong on whether patients should be allowed to use these please start another thread). However, I recently had a patient who was admitted for accidentally overdosing on medication (not a narcotic). This was, however, a chronic pain patient who regularly combines benzos and opiates. The patient was found near to unresponsive in the hospital room one evening, a day or two after admission. As the patient had not been given anything sedating, a search was conducted and multiple bottles of pills (benzos and narcs) found in the patient's belongings. These were, of course, confiscated and sent to security until such time as the patient was released. This was a few days before the patient came under my care. The patient denied suicidal ideation.

Several times upon entering the patients room on the day I was assigned (more than two days after the previous incident), the patient was drowsy, lethargic, drooling on self, would awaken somewhat stuporously to loud verbal stimulation. All vital signs were stable but for a lower than average but still acceptable BP. Labs were stable, tele was NSR, no s/s of anything that would be causing this. Not on an beta blocker or any other med that could be traced to it. The only thing found in the patient's room was a vapor cigarette. I am wondering if anything can be put in these that would induce a high? It was the only red flag in the entire assessment of both person and situation. It seemed to be more than simple sleepiness.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Iiiinteresting. I googled "e-cigarettes and drug use" out of curiosity, and it looks like there is an increasing use of this product with illegal drugs.

I-Team: E-cigarettes used for illegal purposes - Story | abcactionnews.com | Tampa Bay News, Weather, Sports, Things To Do | WFTS-TV

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/crime/2013/11/05/e-cigarettes-used-for-smoking-drugs/1568026/

"Pulling out this at a baseball game or at a restaurant and taking a hit on this looks about as natural as anything," said a man in a YouTube video touting ways to use e-cigarettes to avoid detection when using drugs.

[Alisonisayoshi, LVN]

Yes! I have a friend who owns a vapor business. They sell special vapor tubes to vape just about anything. They vape "honey oil" (concentrated THC). Any narco drug that people can crush up and dissolve into the fluid can also be vaped. My friend said it's actually a burgeoning business, the "get high in public without anyone knowing what you are doing" crowd. My friend stopped carrying the vape anything tubes because they feel there is a liability issue with selling them.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

EEEEEEiiinteresting. Very interesting. I betcha anything this patient had something in there. I think my tolerant attitude about these is going to have to change.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Eeenteresting indeed. *spoken while twisting one's beard hair pensively around one finger exponentially increases the cool factor of this phrase*.

Probably not a bad idea. If nothing else, even the NIDA can't quite figure out what to say about e-cigarettes, either.

DrugFacts: Electronic Cigarettes (e-Cigarettes) | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

While e-cigarettes are often promoted as safer alternatives to traditional

cigarettes, little is actually known yet about the public health implications of

using these devices.

.

Are e-Cigarettes Safer than Conventional Cigarettes?

Unfortunately, this question is difficult to answer because insufficient

information is available on these new products.

Congrats, folks. Look about you. Our generation is the e-cig's guinea pig, the subjects in the Phase IV Post-marketing surveillance studies if you will.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

My first thought on reading the original post was that a visitor had slipped the patient something. I've seen that happen more often than I can count. But the vapor cigarettes information was eye opening!

[pookyp, LPN]

So these vapor cigarettes produce no odor?

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I heard that these cigarettes are also used in using illegal substances somehow. I have never seen one up close so I don't really understand

[Asystole RN]

So these vapor cigarettes produce no odor?

They do but some additives smell more than others.

[Asystole RN]

I heard that these cigarettes are also used in using illegal substances somehow. I have never seen one up close so I don't really understand

The cigarettes use a wick that is wrapped in a heating element coil. The wick draws the fluid and the heating element gets very hot vaporizing the fluid. The main body of the fluid is usually PEG or glycerin or some combination and an additive flavoring containing the nicotine, or whatever, is added.

[LTCNS, LPN]

As a vaper myself, I have heard and read about people using the e-cigarettes for illegal drugs, but I never, ever put anything but flavored nicotine in mine, and never will put anything but flavored nicotine in it. I smoked off and on for more than 30 years. The e-cigarette has been a tremendous help in getting me off cigarettes. Too bad some folks ruin the experience with illegal drugs.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

I think it needs to be regulated like cigarettes. I would rather see someone vaping than smoking but neither would be best. There is always going to be someone finding a way under the fence.