Vaping, An Epidemic

Vaping is an epidemic among the youth. Harmful ingredients are present in e-cigarettes despite the popularity.

Fashionable Style is Appealing

The style and fashionable nature of e-cigarettes have attracted high school students to smoke them.  They come in all different sizes and shapes, but the danger in inhaling the aerosol has serious health affects as well. More young people smoke e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes because the marketing of them is so attractive.

Other Chemicals: Harmful Effects

Even though e-cigarettes may be an alternative to regular cigarettes, ultra fine particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs, flavorants can be linked to lung disease, and heavy metals can be absorbed. E-cigarettes have become so popular with high school students that they smoke them more than adults smoke e-cigarettes.  Nicotine is not the only damaging effect of e-cigarettes, but the other chemicals are equally or more dangerous for the health.

U.S. Surgeon General Regulating E-Cigarette

U.S. Surgeon General just declared youth vaping an epidemic, and called out e-cigarette giant JUUL as part of the problem.  JUUL has taken over the market for an alternative to smoking. Because it is marketed on social media, it is smoked by an increase of younger people. It is also causing a new addiction to nicotine.

Is E-Cigarettes Damaging to the Brain? 

The part of the brain that’s responsible for decision making and impulse control is not yet fully developed during adolescence. Young people are more likely to take risks with their health and safety, including use of nicotine and other drugs. Youth and young adults are also uniquely at risk for long-term, long-lasting effects of exposing their developing brains to nicotine. These risks include nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.

It is becoming so popular that it is affecting the learning in school and students are not educated to the lasting effects of e-cigarettes.

Regulations

Parents, schools, and educational facilities need to be educated on the dangers of JUUL E-Cigarettes.  These products use an “e-liquid” that may contain nicotine, as well as varying compositions of flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other ingredients. The liquid is heated to create an aerosol that the user inhales. Because of the synthetic liquid, there needs to be more regulations and monitoring of the dangers.