Greetings readers!
It is finally May, which means that youth will be out of school before you know it. Before the summer starts, I urge you to stay updated on what’s trending in vaping with the youth. Since the popularity of e-cigarettes continues to rise amongst teens, there is a higher likelihood of their increased e-cig use over the summer. With more time on their hands and less adult supervision, vaping could be a big problem this summer.
Readers, did you know that over 10.7 million youth aged 12-17 are at risk for using e-cigarettes (Center for Tobacco Products)? In recent years, big tobacco companies have strategically targeted youth in their e-cigarette marketing campaigns. Because young people are not aware of the true dangers of vaping, they often view it as harmless and engage in excessive usage. Imagine your 12-year-old becoming addicted to nicotine this summer, while hanging out and using vape pens with their friends. The root of this problem is the lack of accurate information retained by parents to relay unto their children. In order to properly educate yourself as well as your teens, I have prepared some facts about vaping that will help you engage in a good conversation with your child.
FACTS:
- For teens, cars are the number one hotspot for vaping. It is easier to evade authorities by vaping in cars, because it is difficult to see someone smoking or vaping inside of a vehicle unless it is pulled over. Talk to your teen about vaping and driving or riding with a youth who are vaping in their vehicles.
- Vaping can expose a user’s lungs to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, diacetyl, and acrolein, as well as toxic metal particles like nickel, tin, and lead.
- Many vape shops and stands will not ID when selling e-cigarettes and other vaping products to teens.
(Center for Tobacco Products, Department of Health & Human Services, FDA)
Watch this video about The Real Cost of Vaping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYuyS1Oq8gY
Readers, making yourself aware of the risks that vaping poses on your youth is very important. Be sure to talk to your teens before the summer about the dangers of vaping and the risks they may face.
