With flavors such as Tutti-Frutti, Skittles, Bomb Pop, piña colada and many more, the marketers of vapes have succeeded in gaining a young adult and teenage audience.
One in five Americans ages 18 to 29 vape, which is not surprising if you think about the advertisements for e-cigarettes.
These marketers have taken something extremely dangerous and addictive and found a way to sell it to our youth without warning them of the dangers it can cause.
For as long as I can remember, vaping has been everywhere. Whenever I would go to the bathroom in my high school, I would walk into the cloud of artificial flavorings, but I have always wondered if these teens are fully aware of the chemicals they are inhaling.
According to the American Lung Association, vapes have many dangerous chemicals in them, including but not limited to acetaldehyde, acrolein and formaldehyde, which can lead to both lung and heart diseases.
One of these chemicals, acrolein, is regularly used as an herbicide to kill weeds. A chemical that is used to kill weeds is also repeatedly inhaled by millions of teens.
One of the most concerning things about vapes, in my opinion, is the fact that we don’t truly know what the long-term effects of these chemicals can be. The amount of damage vapes can do to your lungs is unknown, but some of it may be irreversible.
When e-cigarettes first started to grow, people saw them as a “safer” alternative to cigarettes, but in reality, they are still extremely dangerous and addictive.
The worst part about vapes is the addiction. Nicotine is the main addictive chemical in vapes and is what has gotten millions of people to continuously use them. This is what makes the cycle of vaping never-ending.
All it takes is one hit. One hit of a friend or family member vaping can suck you into this epidemic. Countless of my friends say to me “I want to quit,” but they find themselves going through huge withdrawals from the nicotine once they try.
Another factor of vaping that many do not take into consideration is the accidental ingestion of those around you. Secondhand smoke doesn’t just apply to cigarettes but to vapes as well. Secondhand smoke can be just as dangerous and can cause things like lung problems, high blood pressure and according to the CDC, disease and premature death. This is extremely dangerous, especially for children.
This goes back to the marketing and packaging of vapes. If a vape was left unattended and a child was to walk up to it and saw a pink and blue swirled design that said cotton candy on it, they would not hesitate to pick it up and investigate.
There are no benefits to vaping. I fear the risks that we have yet to find out about. If you are considering quitting, don’t feel like you have to do it alone. There are many resources available to assist those who are struggling with withdrawals.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Confidential free help, from public health agencies, to find substance use treatment and information:
1-800-662-4357