Author: Richard Lane

I recall a young man surrounded by the telltale vapor cloud of an e-cigarette in a local department store nearly a decade ago. My wife asked me about the risk of second-hand vapor exposure compared to cigarette smoke. Logically, it made sense the contents of the device would be present in the exhaled vapor, but it has taken the ensuing decade to gain enough data to begin to address her concerns. The first e-cigarettes arrived in the United States from China in 2006. The electronic devices were never FDA-approved. Many people perceive electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) as safe...

The Gift of Peace of Mind The fall of 2017 wreaked havoc on my sleep. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Katia, and Maria all directly impacted loved ones in the U.S. and neighboring countries. In the midst of each storm, I received text messages from friends requesting prayer as they fled storms or waited in their homes watching flood waters rise. The earthquakes in Mexico prompted a similar flurry of messages. The fires of California and other western states further contributed to my sleeplessness. A disaster can strike anywhere. Ask anyone in Central Virginia about the derecho of 2012. I was...

Fall has arrived. Many people joyfully anticipate the cooler weather and the spectacular colors of the autumn foliage. I am not among the cold weather fans but readily confess my love of an annual drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway or some other winding country road to catch the leaves at their peak. With a little preparation my drive usually pays a great reward. As a preventive medicine specialist I also look at fall as a call for prevention. It is a good time to change the batteries in my smoke detectors, call the technician to check my HVAC...