The Dangers of Vaping

By Sara Wilson, MSW, LSW – July 24, 2024 –

According to Indiana Public Radio in October 2023, nine percent of all Indiana youth said they used e-cigarettes in the past month. And in 11th and 12th grade, nearly 20 percent of students said they had been vaping within the month.

Vaping or using e-cigarettes is an epidemic that has led to children as young as elementary age experimenting with them. Often, misinformation makes vaping sound less dangerous than traditional cigarettes. However, facts show this is not true. 

The key to preventing vaping in children and adults is education. When we know better, we do better. Important facts to communicate include the following, found at the Tobacco Education Resource Library:

• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Children and teens often believe e-cigarettes do not contain any type of nicotine, rather just the flavor juice. This myth is used to make e-cigarettes appear more “healthy” than regular cigarettes. The fact is, most e-cigarettes not only contain nicotine, but the website notes that vapes, especially one Juul pod, can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.

• By heating the ingredients, e-cigarettes create an aerosol that is inhaled. Some of the ingredients include not only nicotine, but nickel, lead, tin, aluminum, and even formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of the chemicals used when embalming a deceased person in order to preserve the body. 

• Introducing such chemicals at a young age increases the risk of addiction to not only e-cigarettes, but also to other drugs. The child and teen brain is still developing and forming numerous connections. The introduction of such chemicals makes the brain feel dependent on these chemicals. 

In addition to educating your child about the real risks of e-cigarettes, there are other steps you can take to help curtail vaping. Be aware of behaviors that may indicate your child is using e-cigarettes. According to the Massachusetts Center for Adolescent Wellness, such behaviors might include increased thirst; nose bleeds; smelling like mint, candy, or fruit; increased agitation, anxiety, or impatience; secrecy or increased need for privacy.

When discussing vaping with your child, the American Lung Association recommends the following considerations:

• Put yourself in your child’s shoes. Consider the pressure and social environment they encounter in their daily lives, and remember what that felt like when you were their age.

• Remind your child that you are on their side without judgment or frustration. If a child feels judged, they may react defensively or tune you out completely. An open discussion is the best approach to lead to a positive outcome.

• Find the right time and place. Choose a calm moment where vaping is already at the top of their mind, like when you’re driving past a vape shop or your child is attending an event with friends. This will help you guide the conversation and discuss vaping without defensiveness.

• Practice having this conversation with a partner or trusted friend, and go through the points you feel are most important to communicate. Try to anticipate how the conversation will go, and prepare yourself to respond to your child calmly and respectfully. This will also encourage them to come to you with problems in the future.

If you discover that your child is vaping, contacting your pediatrician or family doctor to evaluate the level of use and possible addiction may be necessary. Often, vaping is not discovered until some time has passed. If an addiction has formed, stopping without medical guidance may be difficult or even medically unsafe. 

Keeping communication open and available without lecturing is important. Parents need children and teens to understand the dangers of e-cigarettes. Children and teens need parents to understand the pressures of engaging in using e-cigarettes. When both parties are willing to listen and understand the other, chances of prevention increase.