What You Need to Know About Vaping
Written by: Arya Dansinghani
Middletown Substance Use Prevention Council’s Youth Peer Advocate
It’s no secret that there has been an increase in vaping among youth and young adults. The Connecticut State Department of Public Health reports that in 2021, more than 1 in 10 high school students reported using vaping products in the past 30 days. Compared to about 1 in 100 who reported past 30-day use of cigarettes. Vaping use is a pressing issue among young people. Here are a few things you can share with youth and parents to encourage a decrease in vaping and conversations about substance use.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that is in vapes. The Truth Initiative found that in 2022, U.S. Sales of e-cigarettes with more than 5% nicotine increased to 81%. The adolescent years are crucial times for brain development and growth. This development continues until age 25. Nicotine exposure during these foundational developmental years causes great harm to young adults developing brains. This harm can be long-term via things like addiction, mood disorders, and a decrease in impulse control. Additionally, nicotine changes the way synapses in our brain are formed, directly harming the parts of the brain that control attention and learning, which are crucial in adolescence.
In addition to nicotine, other very toxic compounds are found in e-cigarettes. Compounds like lead and formaldehyde can lead to things like increased heart problems and cancer risk. Another additive in e-cigarettes is diacetyl, which is added to better the taste. The inhalation of diacetyl can lead to bronchiolitis obliterans (BO), which results from damage to the lungs' small airways. Inhaling diacetyl causes inflammations of the smallest airway branches and can lead to permanent scarring, making breathing difficult.
The Tobacco 21 legislation, a federal law enacted in December 2019, raised the federal minimum age for legal sales of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years. Additionally, Connecticut law makes it illegal for a minor to buy a vape or sell a vape to a minor. Violators of this law are subjected to substantial fines. Adolescents who vape are not only putting their physical health at risk but are violating the law.
Works Cited
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-does-vaping-do-to-your-lungs
https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/knowtherisks.html#risks