Teen Vaping Unmasked: Health Risks and What We Can Do
- S J
- Jul 9, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 23
Over the past few years, the act of vaping has become the new trendy gadget among young people, especially teenagers. It is so popular because of stylish gadgets, mouth-watering tastes, and the appearance of safety has made its popularity so high. But beneath the curtain of an aromatic cloud that is released by electronic cigarettes, there is a storm of dangers to human health that adults, parents, and students should remember. It is now time to involve ourselves within the key and minor areas of teen vaping discover the hidden risks and give solutions.
Before we discuss the possible dangers of vapes and e-cigarettes, let’s first take a look at what they contain. While some are just nicotine many of them have other chemicals and toxic agents that damage the lung tissue and are associated with hyperactivity mood swings and other permanent adverse changes in the brain structure in developing teen brains. The vapor can include nicotine, a toxin present in tobacco, flavoring, and other ingredients. In addition, e-cigarettes used with marijuana, hash oil, or other substances are possible. It can also catch fire and cause burns due to the battery malfunction.
Yet another shocking fact that one can come across is that teen vaping causes nicotine dependency and paves the way for cigarette smoking. For instance, teenagers who use e-cigs are 7 times more likely to make the switch to ‘traditional’ cigarettes within 6 months than those who do not vape.
What is so appealing about vapes?
Stylish Devices
The vaping devices are technologically designed to look like flash drives or sophisticated gadgets something that holds the attention of the teenagers that they would love to try it.
Flavor Explosion
Starting from cotton candy to mango and many more, the number of flavors one can get in vapes hides the bitterness of nicotine making vaping more acceptable.
Social Media Influence
Celebrities on Instagram and TikTok repost each other vaping, which makes vaping seem like something cool to do.
As for the levels of harm, many teenagers think vaping is less dangerous than smoking.
Youth and adults appreciate that there is no smoke and for the long-term, vaping appears to cost less than smoking.
Reality Check
Nicotine Addiction
Some vaping products contain a high percentage of nicotine which is an addictive substance that has an impact on the portion of the brain related to learning and memory among youths.
Chemical Exposure
Vaping liquids have dangerous chemicals like; formaldehyde, and acrolein which are known to have severe impacts on the lungs.
Gateway to Smoking
The youth who use vaping are likely to engage themselves in using normal cigarettes, which puts them at higher risk of getting ill.
Side Effects of Teen Vaping
Increased Heart Rate
Nicotine causes a fast heartbeat rate and high blood pressure, exerting pressure on the cardiovascular system.
2. Respiratory Issues
If one only vapes for a short period; as a result, they can end up experiencing cough wheezing, shortness of breath, or conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory illnesses.
3. Chemical Exposure
Other chemicals are also present in the vapor produced by e-cigarettes such as formalin, and acrolein, and if, for instance, a person breathes in these chemicals, he or she is more likely to fall ill.
4. Dental Problems
The consequences of vaping include oral health issues such as dry mouth, gum disease, and tooth decay.
5. Behavioral Influence
Seeing other people, particularly adults, use vape devices generates a perception leading to use and teenagers will imitate the products they find adults using in the future.
Long-Term Teen Vaping Consequences
Lung Damage
Vaping has been associated with severe conditions of the lungs such as bronchiolitis obliterans also known as popcorn lung.
Brain Development
Nicotine influences the formation of the brain particularly resulting in mood disorders, learning deficits, and poor impulse control.
Addiction Cycle
Vapers, who begin their compounds regularly in their teenage years, get stuck in a process that ends with nicotine dependency for the remainder of their lives and the probability of further substance use.
Seizures
Seizures may occur as a side effect of e-cigarettes, mainly because of the toxic effect of nicotine. The high levels of nicotine concentration and the quick delivery from e-cigarettes have been associated with seizures reported by researchers mainly among youths and young adults. The effects of nicotine poisoning are normally severe and may lead to seizures because nicotine acts both directly and indirectly on the central nervous system.
Picture Credit- www.cdc.gov
Picture credit- FDA U.S
What We Can Do?
Education and Awareness
School Programs
It is necessary to launch detailed anti-vaping campaigns based on the effects and facts of vaping. Such programs should provide information about the health dangers of vaping, how the vaping companies influence youths into using their products, and the need to make the right decisions. Schools may also help students in overcoming the challenges that they may experience while coming up with the decision to quit vaping.
2. Parental Involvement
Promote discussions that parents and teens should have regarding the negative impact of vaping and ways companies lure the youth into vaping products.
However, teenagers also require compassion and assistance from a parent to address specific problems that arise from this process, such as anxiety, depression, and bullying. Even more endeavors in the area of counseling that are specifically aimed at the youths could go a long way in making this change. It also calls on parents to start having friendly discussions at home without prejudice.
3. Plan Ahead
Help your teenagers quit vaping and live a vape-free life by visiting a website https://www.vapeless.life/ dedicated to a vape-free life. You can get a quit vaping plan that is a step-by-step guide you need to follow if you want your teenagers, friends, or dear ones to quit vaping for good.
Policy and Regulation
Flavor Bans
Work to have these flavored vaping products withdrawn from circulation, these are the ones that appeal to the youth. Flavors as candy, fruits, and desserts are targeted at young people, thus; their accessibility should be restricted. Flavor bans are also very effective because when you prevent people, particularly teens from accepting positive attitudes towards vaping then most of them will not be able to start vaping.
Age Restrictions
Increase the check and control for underage sales, to stop this problem. It is suggested that retailers are to ensure the customer’s age before selling vaping products and there is a need for stiff penalties for selling to underage customers. Limiting access to vaping products to the youths through increasing the age limit is also among the measures that could lessen the usage of the products.
Marketing Restrictions
Regulate the advertisement of vaping products, especially on the social media apps where the youths spend their time. The younger population is actively involved in social media platforms, and vaping companies and their affiliates should be required to manage advertisements and promotions. Other measures like put in place measures that would limit marketing and advertising can also enable the reduction of the impact made by social media in encouraging teen vaping.
Support and Resources
Quit Programs
Teens should be offered counseling and cessation programs if they make up their minds to quit vaping. These programs must be designed for teenagers and have to offer a variety of services to the clients such as one-on-one therapy, group sessions, and online tools. Vaping should be managed to reduce the cases of teenagers being hooked on the substance and enhance the overall health of youths.
Health Services
There is so much about providing more healthcare facilities so that people can prevent vaping-associated diseases early enough. Educating the population on how to identify the symptoms associated with vaping-related diseases as well as attending physicians on the best way to manage them should be done. Healthcare intervention can also be offered so that many teenagers, who engage in vaping, can be helped to undo the damage they have caused to their bodies.
Action to take
Fight against teen vaping is indeed for all of us. This is because proper and improved understanding of such risks means improved safeguarding of the actual and potential health as well as the future of our young people. It is about time to get real about vaping and empower our teenagers with the information and encouragement that they will be able to quit or not start vaping in the first place.
Let’s work together and, finally, breathe freely and ensure the young generation will not get addicted to vaping.
References
February 2019, Vaping Rises Among Teens | NIH News in Health
Kristen Jones, DO and Gary A. Salzman, MD, 2020 Jan-Feb, The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents - PMC (nih.gov)
May 15, 2024, E-Cigarette Use Among Youth, E-Cigarette Use Among Youth | Smoking and Tobacco Use | CDC
06/26/2024, FDA U.S Food & Drug Administration, Results from the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey
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