By: Amanda Kennington, Healthy Community School Coordinator
According to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, more than 1 in 4 youth vape or use e-cigarettes daily. Vaping is inhaling and exhaling vapor from a vape device or e-cigarette.
Vape products usually contain nicotine (extracted from tobacco), a liquid and several other chemicals that are heated by the device so they can be breathed in.
Nicotine is the primary agent in regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and it is highly addictive. It causes the user to crave a smoke and suffer withdrawal symptoms if the craving is ignored.
Nicotine is a toxic substance. It raises blood pressure and spikes adrenaline, which increases heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.
E-cigarettes do not create a harmless “water vapor” - they create an aerosol that can contain harmful chemicals. Secondhand vapor isn’t safe either because the vapor emitted when someone exhales contain a variety of dangerous substances.
There are many unknowns about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapor and how they affect physical health over the long term. By now, it seems clear that using e-cigarettes, or vaping, is bad for your lungs. But research about exactly how vaping affects the lungs is in the initial stages.
What we do know right now is that several lung diseases such as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping use-Association Lung Injury), lipoid pneumonia, and collapsed lung are associated with vaping.
Other risks of vaping include:
For students, there are additional impacts that can affect them over time:
No matter how many of their friends and family members have tried vaping, the bottom line is that it is not safe.
In December 2019, the United States raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco and e-cigarette products to 21 and many states across the country are working to comply with federal law. Vaping companies are targeting kids by using tools like social media to influence them to try their products.
Companies are also taking everyday products that kids and teens use and turning them into devices that can be used to vape. These devices that are now available to help students hide vaping at school and at home include:
Vape devices are small, easy to hide, and they run on batteries making the devices difficult to spot. It is up to each community to hold the industry accountable and support regulations to help keep students and families safe.
Vaping is a topic of ongoing concern for the GCCISD’s School Health Advisory Council, a group appointed by the school district who provides recommendations to create healthy school environments for all students. The committee plays an important role in strengthening the connection between health and learning by helping parents and community stakeholders reinforce the knowledge and skills children need to stay healthy for a lifetime. “Education and communication are paramount in getting a handle on the vaping epidemic, Patricia Pena, GCCISD Health Services Coordinator & SHAC Executive Committee member said.”If we can get parents to understand (the dangers)then they can help us with the students.” GCCISD provides preventative measures such as education for students, parents, and caregivers about the risks of vaping, district-wide tobacco-free policies, and connects students who vape with cessation programs. GCCISD utilizes the ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience) program to deliver tobacco prevention education to teens and adolescents at a self-directed pace. ASPIRE is a free online prevention education resource from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Parents can talk to their children about vaping and answer questions they might have. When talking with your child about vaping:
Common things to look for if you suspect your child is vaping are:
Vaping impacts behavior, your child may become more anxious or irritable, their appetite may decrease, or their mood or behavior may be different. In addition, physical symptoms of vaping may include cough or sore throat, headaches, or breathing issues. Parents know their child best, and the goal is to convince them to quit and that there are resources available to help. The Truth Initiative offers This is Quitting to Texas young people ages 13-24. Youth can text VAPEFREETX to 88709 to receive free, anonymous, 24/7 support through this program. Parents of young vapers can text QUIT to 202-899-7550 to receive messages designed specifically for them, including tips and advice for helping support their young person quit.