In our Vaping e-book, we break down the health effects of vaping, why it appeals to young people and what you can do to protect your child from its harms.
Vaping has become one of the most popular forms of substance use among young people, despite growing evidence of its health risks and harms. Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol produced when using an electronic vapor device. Typically, the ingredients include nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals, many of which are toxic. Some vaping products contain marijuana or other drugs.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 19.6% of high school students and 4.7% of middle school students in the early months of 2020 reported using a vaping product (also known as an electronic or e-cigarette) in the past 30 days. These rates show a decline from 2019 when 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of middle school students reported vaping. Among students who reported vaping, 22.5% of high school and 9.4% of middle school students said they did so daily. This is despite growing awareness about the dangers of vaping.
Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol that is produced by an electronic vapor device when it heats up its liquid ingredients. Because of the rise in popularity of JUUL, currently the most popular brand of vaping device, many teens and young adults use the term “JUULING” (pronounced Jeweling), instead of vaping, when referring to the use of these products. More formally, these products are sometimes referred to as electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes. Less formally, some simply call them “vapes.” The contents of most vaping liquids (e-liquids) include nicotine, flavoring chemicals and other chemicals. Some vaping products contain (or are modified to contain) marijuana or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
It is now widely recognized that vaping is unhealthy and dangerous, even if it might not be quite as unhealthy and dangerous as smoking traditional, combustible cigarettes. The more immediate health effects include coughing and wheezing, behavioral and mood changes, headaches, seizures, vomiting and potential severe lung injury. Vaping also negatively affects teens’ attention, learning, and impulse control in a way that can affect them in school, sports and social situations.
Get Support
