Parents should be concerned because:
- Vaping increases the risk of teens developing an addiction to nicotine.
- Vaping exposes children and teens to harmful metals and toxic chemicals found in e-cigarettes.
- A mysterious, vaping-related illness is on the rise: e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI).
Why teens shouldn't vape?
The Top Three Reasons Teens Should Stop Vaping
- Lung Illness. Hundreds of teens have been hospitalized due to vaping related lung illnesses. The Chicago Tribune covered...
- Bad Devices. With the rising popularity of vaping, many counterfeited devices have entered the market. Vaping black...
- Death. The Center for Disease Control reported vaping related deaths have been...
Is vaping really that bad for teens?
Yes. It’s bad. There are cases on people starting as a teen and needing a lung transplant in a few years. What we do know is if you vape as much as equivalent to a pack of cigarettes a day the damage to the lungs is more severe and quicker. Yes it’s very bad, r/TooAfraidToAsk.
What is the real risk behind teen vaping?
The teen years are critical for brain development, which continues into young adulthood. Young people who use nicotine products in any form, including e-cigarettes, are uniquely at risk for long-lasting effects.
How to discourage teen vaping?
Quit Vaping
- Deal With Vape Cravings. Dealing with cravings is one of the hardest parts of quitting vaping. ...
- Understand Your Vaping Triggers. Triggers are the things that make you want to vape. ...
- Depression and Vaping. Some people vape when they are feeling sad or depressed, but vaping is not an effective way to deal with these feelings.
Why are e-cigarettes not safe to eat?
For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs. 1. Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.
When will e-cigarettes be banned?
On January 2, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized an enforcement policy that prohibits the sale of prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes in any flavor other than tobacco or menthol, unless authorized by FDA.
How much nicotine is in Juul pods?
All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. 2
How do e-cigarettes produce aerosols?
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice,” or “vape liquid.”. Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol ...
How does nicotine affect the brain?
Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. 1.
What are the most popular flavors of e-cigarettes in 2020?
5 Among high school students who currently used any type of flavored e-cigarettes in 2020, the most commonly used flavors are fruit (73.1%), mint (55.8%), menthol (37.0%), and candy, desserts , or other sweets (36.4%). 5.
What are the flavors of e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes come in various flavors, including fruit, candy, mint, and menthol. A study from 2013-2014 showed that most youth who use e-cigarettes first start with a flavored variety, and flavors are the primary reason youth report using e-cigarettes. 6.
Why are kids vulnerable to vapes?
This may come in the form of peer pressure or stress, which may increase the likelihood of addictive behaviors, he said.
Why do people vape?
Kids and adults also tend to vape for different reasons, Goniewicz said. Adults tend to be former smokers who can handle a high dose of nicotine and want to avoid withdrawal symptoms, such as the inability to sleep or focus on work .
Can vaping cause stomach aches?
Levy said that it’s not uncommon for kids to report symptoms that “sound a lot like nicotine toxicity,” including headaches and stomach aches. She suspects these devices cause nicotine levels in the blood to peak higher than they do with traditional cigarettes – but experts say more research is needed to better understand how vapes work on the body and brain.
Does Levy see vape addiction?
Levy said she’s seen vape-addicted kids in her program showing what appear to be psychiatric symptoms rarely seen with traditional cigarettes or among adults. Some have anxiety and cannot focus, for example.
Does Juul pod contain nicotine?
Experts say that one Juul pod – a cartridge of nicotine-rich liquid that users plug into the dominant e-cig brand – contains the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes.
Is vaping a threat to teens?
But experts say the technology and chemistry of vaping might pose an entirely different threat.
Can nicotine be used early in life?
We know from cigarette users that those who try nicotine products early in life are more likely to develop dependence to the drug, said Leventhal . This may also lead to the disruption of brain circuits that underlie attention and cognitive skills, he added.
TEEN VAPING: A NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC
In December of 2018, the Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a rare advisory. He declared e-cigarette use among youth a national epidemic.
BUT DOES VAPING LEAD TO OTHER DRUGS?
A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that teenagers who try e-cigarettes are more likely to begin smoking traditional cigarettes later on. Take this conclusion with a grain of salt: the authors note there’s just a strong association, not necessarily causation.
VAPING: THE HARD FACTS
As a parent or guardian, it’s important to understand the risks associated with vaping. Here are some quick facts.
WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?
As always, open and honest communication is key. It may feel easier to rely on scare tactics and misinformation, but for this topic, the truth is already convincing. Start a conversation with your teen with these tips as a guide:
SOURCES
Adolescent Exposure to Toxic Volatile Organic Chemicals From E-CigarettesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018: Surgeon General releases advisory on E-cigarette epidemic among youth
Why are young people interested in vaping?
Many young people are interested in vaping because products come in fruit or candy-like flavors. Vaping products aren’t FDA regulated. There are no uniform standards for the amount of nicotine or chemicals found in vape juice or pods.
How many middle schoolers are using tobacco?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, about 25% of middle schoolers and 50% of high schoolers tried tobacco products.
Is vaping hard to quit?
Here, Holm shares a few critical facts about the dangers of vaping to counter the misconceptions: Vaping can be harder to quit than smoking traditional cigarettes .
Can you smoke marijuana while vaping?
Vaping isn’t limited to tobacco or nicotine consumption. Many vaping devices can be modified so you can inhale alcohol or smoke marijuana as well.
Is vaping a good alternative to smoking?
Many e-cigarette smokers and vape users believe vaping products are a safe alternative to other forms of tobacco use, like smoking, and can serve as a way to help people quit. According to Amanda Holm, MPH, who manages the tobacco treatment service at Henry Ford Health System, the jury is still out on this. “There’s been little evidence as of ...
Is vaping dangerous for teens?
7 Things You Need To Know About The Dangers Of Teen Vaping. As teen and young adults have become more aware of the dangers of tobacco use, smoking trends in the United States (among adults and teens) have been on the decline. Until recently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, ...
Is vaping addictive?
For example, one Juul pod is the nicotine equivalent of smoking a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. Vaping is highly addictive. Teens who vape are four times as likely to develop a nicotine addiction. Unregulated nicotine levels in these products make it easier to get addicted.
How to tell if a teen is vaping?
What Parents Can Do About Teen Vaping 1 Watch for warning signs. Because e-cigarettes do not have an odor, it’s harder to tell when teens are using them. However, there are other signs to watch for, including bloodshot eyes, increased thirst, nosebleeds, and cough. 2 Ask open-ended questions. Avoid yes/no questions when talking with teens about vaping. Ask them what they’ve heard about vaping and what their peers think about it. Approach the conversation with caring and curiosity, not judgment. If a teen admits to vaping, react with compassion. 3 Let them know about the dangers. Make sure that teens understand the potential long-term consequences of vaping. 4 Set a good example. If parents don’t want their teens to vape or smoke, they shouldn’t do so either. Teens will have a hard time believing that vaping is dangerous if they see adults doing it. 5 Get them the help they need. If a teen wants to stop vaping, make sure they receive access to professional help for breaking the habit and dealing with the physical and emotional symptoms of withdrawal.
How many deaths from vaping?
Most recently, a vaping-related health crisis has resulted in hundreds of respiratory illnesses across the United States and at least six deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
What Is Vaping?
Vaping refers to the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, or vapor, created by a vaping device. A vaping device includes a mouthpiece, a battery, a heating component, and a cartridge that contains the e-liquid or e-juice. The e-liquid is a combination of nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Vaping devices can also be used to vaporize THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, by replacing e-liquids with cannabis-infused oils.
What are the chemicals in vape juice?
Along with nicotine, vaping liquids contain additives such as propylene glycol and glycerol. These toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease. Scientists have also found that diacetyl, a chemical used to flavor some vape juice, may cause a condition called “popcorn lung,” the scarring and obstruction of the lungs’ smallest airways. In addition, a study found that some common chemicals used to flavor vape juice could damage endothelial cells. These are the cells that line blood vessels and lymph vessels.
What is the purpose of a vape battery?
The battery in a vaping device powers the heating component, which heats up the e-liquid , also known as vape juice . As a result, the device produces water vapor. Users inhale this vapor into their lungs.
How much has vaping increased in high school?
According to the most recent Monitoring the Future study, use of vaping nicotine has nearly doubled among high school seniors, increasing from 11 percent in 2017 to 20.9 percent in 2018. Vaping has also significantly increased among eighth and 10th graders.
What can parents do about vaping?
What Parents Can Do About Teen Vaping. Parents can take steps to help prevent their kids from vaping health risks. In particular, communication between parents and teens is key in supporting good choices and positive coping mechanisms. Here are some ways to protect teens from the dangers of vaping.
Why is vaping so popular among teens?
First publicized as a safer alternative to smoking tobacco, vaping caught on because it didn't contain the carcinogens or tars found in most smoking tobacco products. Also, vaping was supposed to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke to those nearby.
How to help a teenager who is vaping?
Encourage your teen to look into the warnings and media stories related to vaping, or reach out to his or her primary care provider with questions.
How long does a vape last?
Did you know most cigarettes are smoked within two to five minutes? E-cigarettes on the other hand can last up to 20 minutes, delivering more nicotine and damaging chemicals to the lungs. In addition, some vaping mixtures can contain 20 times the nicotine that a single cigarette contains.
What is an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid solution — usually, but not always, containing nicotine — turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled . If the base nicotine mixture is not palatable, many flavors, such as mint, apple and others, can make vaping attractive, especially to adolescents.
Why is vaping so difficult?
This is due to the difficulty in correctly identifying what they inhaled, especially when they are intubated or unconscious.
How to tell if a child is vaping?
Talk with your kids about the dangers of vaping, but also look for warning signs including: 1 Changes in emotions 2 Trouble sleeping 3 Scents of fruity odors on skin, breath and clothes 4 Strange cylinders, chargers or batteries lying around
Is vaping bad for teens?
Adolescents often feel that bad things happen to everyone else, but the risks associated with vaping are real. Many teens are taking things a step further, adding cannabis, CBD oils and other dangerous additives to vaping devices.