Nobody claims it’s easy to raise teenagers, but we feel 21st-century parents have to face some pretty unprecedented challenges. Vaping is a prime example of that, as a result of its insidious, often odorless, and highly addictive presence in the teen and young adult worlds.
While it’s true that smoking has consistently been an ever-present risk for teens for decades – a fact often used by teens to support the argument that “vaping isn’t that big of a deal” – the concentration of nicotine, THC, and other chemicals in today’s vapes is significantly higher than their cigarette and smokable marijuana counterparts. From the healthcare perspective, the fight against teen vaping is a very big deal.
Open Communication Is Critical In Helping Teens Understand Vaping Risks
The clinicians at PANW are here to help. Your teen’s upcoming wellness visit is a perfect opportunity for us to ask them questions and share information from an objective perspective. Starting at 12 years of age, we routinely screen patients for substance use during wellness visits, including vaping, nicotine, and alcohol.
Finding ways to communicate openly with your teen is essential for helping them understand the serious risks of vaping. And, of course, depending on your teen and their desire to “have yet another parenting talk,” having a serious conversation with them about the risk of vaping may feel easier said than done.
When it comes to topics like the risks of vaping, coming from a place of curiosity and compassion is always a good foundation for building trust and fostering a safe space for teens to share what’s going on for them – and their peers.
In the meantime, here is some information that you can review with your teens and adolescents, so they understand the full spectrum and hidden risks of vaping when it comes to their physical and mental well-being. We also recommend visiting vetted sources for accurate, up-to-date information about vaping, such as The Real Cost.
What’s The Big Deal About Vaping?
Vape products emerged from the e-cigarette trend, which was marketed as a “safer alternative” to smoking cigarettes. However, there are several reasons why vaping is considered just as dangerous for teens, if not more dangerous, than its traditional tobacco counterparts.
1. They have no bad taste or unpleasant odor (and they may even smell/taste good)
Cigarettes have long been associated with some less-than pleasant effects, like bad breath, leaving their lingering smoke smell behind, burning the eyes/nose/throat/lungs, or being difficult to mask. These factors were enough to keep some teens from using them frequently or getting addicted. Similar things can be said about chewing tobacco.
However, the fact that vaping is relatively scent- or taste-free, and that it can even have flavors that are appealing, makes it much easier for adolescents and teens to use it without coughing, gagging, or feeling self-conscious about their “smoker’s smell.” They also don’t have to worry that their smell will give them away to parents, caregivers, or other authority figures.
2. It can be nearly impossible to tell that your child is vaping
Those same odor-free attributes make it nearly impossible for parents, teachers, or caregivers to know when a child is vaping. It can be easy to sneak a puff from a vape when a parent is nearby or a teacher turns their back because the “vape cloud” is easily waved away and flavor-free products leave no discernable smell. Also, vape cartridges are very compact, which makes them easy to hide.
3. They are loaded with heavy metals and other toxins
While it may seem as though that barely-there, odorless cloud of vapor is harmless, it’s not. Besides the addictive, synthetic versions of nicotine or THC, the inhaled/exhaled cloud aerosol often contains toxins like formaldehyde, lead, chromium, or nickel – all of which pose serious health risks to the lungs and other organs.
4. Vapes can have exponentially higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes
In the beginning, one vape cartridge was made with nicotine levels that equaled about one pack of cigarettes (20). Today, many vape cartridges have the nicotine equivalent of 600 cigarettes (an entire case). In addition to being more highly addictive, this excessive nicotine intake greatly disrupts brain function, leading to jitters, difficulty focusing, sleep issues, and irritability or even aggression.
The THC oil used in vapes is also highly concentrated, with most oils delivering a hit of THC that is at least four times stronger than smoking marijuana in its plant form.
5. Vaping disrupts healthy brain development
Adolescent and teen brains are more vulnerable because they are still developing. The mind-altering effects of vaping disrupt healthy brain function, negatively impacting learning, concentration, and memory. This increases the risk of addiction.
6. Nicotine and THC make anxiety and depression even worse
Teens today report higher-than-ever levels of anxiety and depression, and they can feel like vaping helps manage those feelings. Unfortunately, they don’t realize that the momentary reprieve is not an alleviation of anxiety or depression. And, in fact, nicotine and THC interact with the brain in ways that worsen anxiety and depression.
7. Teens don’t realize they’re addicted
The earlier someone is exposed to nicotine, the more likely they are to become addicted to it. Current data shows that teens who vape are three to five times more likely to become cigarette smokers later in life. However, many teens don’t recognize how addicted they actually are.
Most teens or young adults who admit they vape tend to think they aren’t addicted or that they don’t really “need” it. They’ll say they only vape “with their friends,” “on the weekends” or “barely ever at school.” However, when you ask them to keep a tally of when they vape, the frequency may shock them.
Ask them to give it up for one full week, and clear signs of withdrawal (anger, irritability, moodiness, aggression) tell a different story within a matter of days.
8. Vaping increases the risk of certain health issues
Researchers at UCSF, home to the world’s largest archive of Big Tobacco’s internal documents, have proven that teens who vape are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and have increased rates of asthma-like respiratory symptoms. They also report higher rates of mental health challenges. Because vaping is fairly new, we don’t have enough data to determine whether vaping increases cancer rates.
Signs Your Child is Vaping
Because vaping can be odor-free and vape cartridges can be hidden easily, parents often tell if their child has been vaping in the moment. Instead, we tell parents to take note if the following signs show up. Whether it’s the result of vaping or something else, it’s worth being concerned if you notice:
- A fruity or sweet smell occasionally in their presence or in their room when they’ve been in there (while some vapes are odorless, others have sweet or fruity flavors).
- You’ve found unusual paraphernalia in their room, in their backpack, under the couch/cushions, or in their/your car.
- The emergence of uncharacteristically negative behaviors.
- A new or heightened level of secrecy.
- Signs of nicotine withdrawal (because they’re trying not to vape at home) like anger, aggression, or extreme irritability.
- They’ve developed a dry cough.
- Increased wheezing.
- More than normal lung infections (we’ll be on the lookout for this in our office as well).
- They get out of breath faster than they used to.
- Changes in school performance.
The original e-cigarettes looked like cigarettes. That is not the case anymore. Vape cartridges come in a variety of colors and sizes. They are even designed to look like everyday items (at first glance) to avoid detection (like lip gloss, flash drives, pens, or markers). The health officials in South Dakota have created an excellent resource, Stealth Vaping…to help parents and caregivers understand what to look for and where.
PANW Partners With Parents to Talk to Teens About Vaping Risks
We believe in educating and informing patient families so they can have important (and courageous!) conversations at home. PANW will support that process as much as we can.
While we check in about vaping with all of our teen patients during routine well-child visits, parents can also message their child’s clinician through the Patient Portal ahead of time so we can address specific concerns. We want to make sure they fully understand the risks of vaping, and all the resources available to them if they’re struggling to quit vaping on their own. Our compassionate team will help your child to feel seen and supported, empowering them to make healthy choices.
