Whereas e-cigarette use in teenagers has gone down in recent times, teenagers are nonetheless vaping regardless of nationwide insurance policies geared toward decreasing nicotine vaping amongst adolescents.
The newest knowledge from 2024 exhibits the proportion of teenagers who reported they’d ever vaped nicotine usually was:
- 9.6% for eighth grade college students (up from 4.7% in 2022),
- 15.4% for tenth grade college students (up from 8.7% in 2022), and
- 21% of twelfth grade college students (up from 15% in 2022).
Nicotine vaping is among the most regularly abused substances in these grades.
What’s extra, the Journal of the American Medical Affiliation discovered that vaping in teenagers is linked to a better threat for beginning cigarette smoking and use, particularly in youths who’ve low risk-taking behaviors. Vaping may be a method for some adults to quit smoking, however for teenagers, it’s a technique to begin.
Chances are high excessive that teenagers immediately have been uncovered to e-cigarettes, thought of utilizing them, or have used them. So, what can mother and father do to scale back the possibilities that their teenagers will flip to vaping?
As a pharmacist within the Drug and Poison Info Heart, I recommend studying every thing you possibly can about e-cigarettes after which having an sincere dialog together with your teen in regards to the dangers. Under are some info to get you began.
8 Info About Nicotine, E-Cigarettes and E-Liquids
FACT #1: E-CIGARETTES CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS
Based on smokefree.gov, e-cigarettes often include nicotine. This chemical has been proven to hurt mind growth not solely in youngsters, but additionally in younger adults into their early 20s.
E-cigarettes may additionally include different harmful substances, together with heavy metals like lead, cancer-causing chemical compounds, and small particles that get inhaled deep into the lungs.
FACT #2: Nicotine is extremely addictive
Nicotine is among the most addictive substances and is extremely tough to cease utilizing. Dependence is predicated on components akin to age, household or peer affect, genetics, medical historical past and extra.
The teenager mind is extremely prone to the unfavourable and addictive results of nicotine, and the long-term results of e-liquids should not clear.
FACT #3: Nicotine in e-liquids can have an effect on the mind and coronary heart
Nicotine is a neurotoxic substance. Which means it may well have an effect on the mind in a unfavourable method and trigger negative effects.
E-liquids are available a wide range of nicotine concentrations. Taking in even small quantities of nicotine has the potential to be deadly to a small baby. Liquid nicotine can be absorbed via the pores and skin. If a spill occurs when refilling the e-cigarette, it has the potential to be very harmful.
When liquid nicotine is unintentionally ingested, it may well trigger vomiting and seizures. It can also have an effect on the center.
FACT #4: DESPITE LAWS, E-CIGARETTES CAN STILL BE EASY TO GET
In 2019, the Tobacco 21 regulation went into impact. This regulation restricts the sale of tobacco merchandise in the US to these over 21 solely. This consists of vapes.
Nevertheless, on-line and in-person shops might not all the time ask for identification, and on-line sellers of vaping units might not examine a buyer’s age on the time of sale.
FACT #5: E-cigarettes are available vibrant colours and flavors
The brilliant colours, flavors and smells of e-liquids will be interesting to each teenagers and babies, making them appear innocent. If younger youngsters are within the residence, hold e-cigarettes out of their attain. Many containers should not child-resistant.
In early 2020, the FDA restricted flavors in reusable e-cigarettes to simply menthol and tobacco. However the taste limits don’t apply to disposable e-cigarettes, that are nonetheless in the marketplace immediately.
FACT #6: Nicotine supply will be discreet
It’s arduous to inform when somebody is utilizing an e-cigarette, as a result of they received’t scent like tobacco. Vapes may also appear to be a pen, key fob or flash drives. A more moderen product in the marketplace is a vape pen that appears like a highlighter.
One other discreet nicotine product is oral nicotine pouches. These small, rectangular packets are positioned between the lip and gum, usually underneath the higher lip. Because the pouches dissolve, nicotine is launched from them into the bloodstream via the mouth. They’re accessible in a wide range of flavors that will enchantment to youth. Like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches can include excessive ranges of nicotine.
FACT #7: E-cigarettes are BEING USED TO VAPE THC
Many younger individuals additionally use vaping units to devour hashish merchandise. In 2024, almost 17.6% of twelfth graders reported that they vaped marijuana up to now 12 months. (That is down from 20% in 2022.)
(Supply: Monitoring the Future, NIH)
FACT #8: SEVERE LUNG INJURIES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH E-CIGARETTE USE
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reported in February 2020 that greater than 2,800 individuals have acquired an acute lung harm or died associated to the usage of e-cigarettes. Learn this weblog publish for extra details about vaping and its affect on teenagers’ lungs.
If in case you have any considerations about your baby being uncovered to nicotine or another dangerous substance, please name the Drug and Poison Info Heart at 1-800-222-1222. We are able to study extra about your baby and the state of affairs, and stroll you thru what to do subsequent.
Concerning the writer: Sheila Goertemoeller, PharmD, D.ABAT
Sheila Goertemoeller, PharmD, DABAT, ICPS, is a pharmacist and scientific toxicologist. She has greater than 20 years of expertise on the Drug and Poison Info Heart Hotline at Cincinnati Youngsters’s.
