The Dangers of Vaping
Vaping usage has increased dramatically in both middle and high schools. These sleek and discrete devices can be easily concealed by a student and be unknown to a teacher or parent. Let's discuss six of our top concerns regarding teens and vaping. These concerns include health risks, addiction, gateway to smoking, lack of regulation, heavy metal exposure, and peer pressure.
Whether we like it or not, many students have been exposed to vaping in one form or another. In fact, 78% of middle and high school students had been exposed to at least one advertisement concerning vaping. Vaping was originally manufactured as an alternative to smoking for adults, which, as we know, is detrimental to one’s health because tobacco consumption kills up to 8 million people per year, according to the World Health Organization.
WHAT IS A VAPE?
A vape, short for a vaporizer, is an alternative smoking device that heats a liquid solution (known as e-liquid or vape juice) that, when heated, creates a vapor inhaled by the user through sucking or pressing a button on the vape. This e-liquid/ vape juice contains nicotine, a main ingredient, flavoring, and other chemical agents that act as binders to deliver the nicotine.
There are numerous shapes and sizes of vapes. The most popular among younger crowds is Juul, a small rectangular shape that could resemble a flash drive. Vapes are meant to be an alternative to smoking cigarettes for adults. As we now know through numerous cases, many e-cigarette companies have knowingly (or unknowingly) targeted teens. This has led to widespread addiction and abuse of vaporizers in many high schools and even middle schools.
Top Concerns
1. HEALTH RISKS
It is important to note that the long-term health risks of vaping are still being studied and discovered. Vaping is directly linked to numerous health risks, including but not limited to lung damage, respiratory issues, nicotine dependency, cardiovascular issues, and chemical exposure.
The aerosol produced by vaping can contain harmful chemicals that can contribute to lunge damage over time. In many cases, this damage is permanent. One shocking development from vape abuse is "popcorn lung," which, as described by the American Lung Association, is the inhalation of diacetyl (a buttery-flavored chemical that can be found in foods like caramel, dairy, and the buttery popcorn that we all know and love) which causes bronchiolitis obliterans, which is the scarring of small areas in one's lung that results in the inflammation and narrowing of airways. "Popcorn lung" symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, and persistent coughing. In 2019, lung injuries directly caused by e-cigarette use led to 2,807 hospitalizations and 68 deaths.
2. ADDICTION
The repetitive act of vaping as well as the harmful additives such as nicotine and other chemicals, are highly addictive. Many middle and high school students may not even be aware of the ramifications that come with picking up such a harmful substance. Many students think a vape is just "water vapor" that comes in fun flavors, not a harmful substance containing nicotine and other possible carcinogens. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can negatively affect brain development, specifically in young people.
3. GATEWAY TO SMOKING
Vaping normalizes the idea of inhaling addictive substances. It is not a far leap for middle and high school students to try smoking a cigarette if offered. Because nicotine addiction is a serious risk and side-effect of vaping, it is also seen as a gateway to smoking. Once one becomes dependent and addicted to nicotine, it is not that far off that they may begin to try traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes. Marketing tactics of some e-cigarette companies are specifically targeted towards young people, with "child-like" flavors such as tutti-fruity, coco-pebbles, and birthday cake. Colorful and fun designs also appeal to this demographic. These tactics to an uneducated consumer make vaping seem harmless, cool, and exciting.
While not all young people who vape will transition to smoking traditional tobacco products, using them can increase the likelihood of them smoking in the future.
4. LACK OF REGULATION
The vaping industry is not regulated the same as big tobacco companies are. This means there is no standardization over the amounts and concentration of nicotine and other harmful chemicals put into these e-liquids/vape juices. In addition to the lack of oversight into the ingredients, there is little insight into the safety of the vaping device itself. There have been many incidents where the batteries within these devices have exploded and caused severe trauma to the user. This lack of regulation can put students at risk.
5. HEAVY METAL EXPOSURE
While this is a health risk in its own right, we felt the need to stress the point of exposure to heavy metals that comes not from the e-liquid/vape juice but from the vape device itself. There is a large risk of chemical exposure that comes from a vape coil and the components that make up the device. These components that make up the device can contain lead, nickel, and chromium, which can leach into the liquid that is heated through this coil and into the users' lungs.
As mentioned before, there is little regulation around vaping devices and e-liquid production, and because of this, the e-liquid can contain heavy metals, which is a result of its manufacturing process. These heavy metals can include but are not limited to lead, cadmium, and mercury.
6) PEER PRESSURE
Peer pressure is a significant risk factor among students regarding vaping. As vaping becomes normalized to students, it can be viewed as "cool." Thus, many students may feel the pressure to fit in and give in to the pressure to vape. Many young people will see their friends or classmates vape at parties, after school, or even on school grounds. This pressure also can come from social media and advertisements. Because of the chemicals in the vape juice, vaping can provide a user with a sense of relief and could be viewed as a way to cope with the pressures surrounding high school life.
It is important that educators, parents, students, and society as a whole become educated on the numerous risks associated with vaping. We still do not know all of these devices' health and social ramifications; each day, they are seemingly more deadly. We all have a responsibility to help young people understand the negative consequences of one's health and well-being that can come from vaping. Parents, teachers, and school administrators must lead the mission that vaping is unsafe for young people and dismantle the peer pressures associated with vaping through student users, social media, and advertisements.
Emozi® Middle and Emozi® High School Lessons that connect to this mission include:
Grade 6: Pressure and Stress
Grade 6: Decision Making
Grade 7: SMART Goals
Grade 7: Healthy Choices
Grade 8: Healthy Living)
High School for all grades module 2: Self-Management and Self-Care)
Grade 12: Drugs and Alcohol Lessons Part 1 and 2