Vaping and Teenager: What a Dangerous Combination!

Cigarette smoke is known to containcarcinogenic chemicals that can cause injury to the body. It may lead to lung cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Some of the harmful carcinogenic chemicals are not man-made. However, they are produced naturally as the tobacco is cured. These carcinogenic chemicals include benzene, lead, and carbon monoxide.

Vape devices, including e-cigarettes, have become very popular within recent times. They are known to have some adverse effects on the body, the extent of which is not yet fully understood. Vapes use e-liquids which apparently contain far less dangerous chemicals. They come in a wide variety of flavors which tend to attract teens and this is the challenge.

Dr. Sharon Levy, director of the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Prom at Boston Children’s Hospital, believes that the danger in e-cigarettes lies in “how” and “how much” nicotine is used. Teens are at greater risk when they usemodern vaping devices which can deliver high nicotine doses. And what’s the harsh reality of this? Use of these devices can lead to nicotine addictions, toxicity, and psychiatric problems.

Were the ill effects of vaping expected?

Before a verdict is declared on vaping, researchers want to know:

• Do the vapors cause more damage than cigarettes?
• How quickly do the chemicals get into the bloodstream?
• Do the chemicals cause damage to the brain of teenagers?

These are some questions that have not been satisfactorily answered. But Dr. Levy believes that nicotine levels in the blood can soar much higher than those in a regular cigarette. This could then lead to high toxicity levels.

Other experts also believe that e-cigarettes produce nicotine doses that are higher than tobacco cigarettes. A popular e-cigarette is the Juul. It is believed that its high nicotine content and tasty flavors are addictive. No wonder it is the preferred choice among youths! However, the combination of nicotine salts and additives may cause health problems.

The fight is on to save teenagers from the dangers of vaping. There is a lobby for policies to be implemented to stop teenagers from accessing the flavored e-cigars both in store and online. Maybe this could help curb the situation.