Whereas e-cigarette use in teenagers has gone down in recent times, teenagers are nonetheless vaping regardless of nationwide insurance policies geared toward lowering nicotine vaping amongst adolescents.
The most recent knowledge from 2024 exhibits the proportion of teenagers who reported they’d ever vaped nicotine often 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 likely one of the most ceaselessly 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 is perhaps a method for some adults to quit smoking, however for teenagers, it’s a approach to begin.
Chances are high excessive that teenagers right this moment have been uncovered to e-cigarettes, considered 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 Data Heart, I recommend studying the whole lot you’ll be able to about e-cigarettes after which having an trustworthy dialog together with your teen concerning the dangers. Under are some information to get you began.
8 Details About Nicotine, E-Cigarettes and E-Liquids
FACT #1: E-CIGARETTES CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS
In response to smokefree.gov, e-cigarettes often comprise nicotine. This chemical has been proven to hurt mind improvement not solely in youngsters, but in addition in younger adults into their early 20s.
E-cigarettes may additionally comprise 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 likely one of the most addictive substances and is extremely troublesome to cease utilizing. Dependence relies on components similar to age, household or peer affect, genetics, medical historical past and extra.
The teenager mind is extremely vulnerable to the damaging and addictive results of nicotine, and the long-term results of e-liquids aren’t clear.
FACT #3: Nicotine in e-liquids can have an effect on the mind and coronary heart
Nicotine is a neurotoxic substance. Meaning it may well have an effect on the mind in a damaging method and trigger unwanted side effects.
E-liquids are available in quite a lot of nicotine concentrations. Taking in even small quantities of nicotine has the potential to be deadly to a small little one. 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 at all times ask for identification, and on-line sellers of vaping gadgets might not verify a buyer’s age on the time of sale.
FACT #5: E-cigarettes are available in brilliant colours and flavors
The intense colours, flavors and smells of e-liquids might be interesting to each teenagers and young children, making them appear innocent. If younger youngsters are within the residence, preserve e-cigarettes out of their attain. Many containers aren’t child-resistant.
In early 2020, the FDA restricted flavors in reusable e-cigarettes to only menthol and tobacco. However the taste limits don’t apply to disposable e-cigarettes, that are nonetheless in the marketplace right this moment.
FACT #6: Nicotine supply might be discreet
It’s exhausting to inform when somebody is utilizing an e-cigarette, as a result of they gained’t odor like tobacco. Vapes also can appear to be a pen, key fob or flash drives. A more recent 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, typically below the higher lip. Because the pouches dissolve, nicotine is launched from them into the bloodstream via the mouth. They’re out there in quite a lot of flavors that will enchantment to youth. Like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches can comprise excessive ranges of nicotine.
FACT #7: E-cigarettes are BEING USED TO VAPE THC
Many younger individuals additionally use vaping gadgets to devour hashish merchandise. In 2024, practically 17.6% of twelfth graders reported that they vaped marijuana prior to now yr. (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 submit for extra details about vaping and its impression on teenagers’ lungs.
In case you have any considerations about your little one being uncovered to nicotine or another dangerous substance, please name the Drug and Poison Data Heart at 1-800-222-1222. We will study extra about your little one and the scenario, and stroll you thru what to do subsequent.
In regards to the creator: 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 Data Heart Hotline at Cincinnati Youngsters’s.
