We all know how harmful smoking can be to our bodies. For years, commercials and doctors (among others) have been talking about the high risk of cancer and other health risks associated with smoking. And although teen and young adult smoking has decreased over the years, regular cigarettes have been replaced by something just as dangerous: vaping and e-cigarettes.
What Is Vaping?
Vaping has been around for a few years now and gained a lot of popularity initially, as it was being toted as a better alternative to smoking. It was thought to be less addictive, and contain little to no nicotine. People felt better about smoking and used it as a tool to also help them cut back on smoking, using the e-cigarette instead of a traditional cigarette. Vaping basically takes the nicotine from tobacco, along with flavorings and other chemicals, and heats the products up to produce an aerosol you inhale. It is still basically smoking, but with the potential of inhaling less than the normal amount of chemicals found in a traditional cigarette (which can be up to 7,000!).
Still Not “Healthy”
But it came out soon after that vaping and e-cigarettes contain just as much (and sometimes, even more) nicotine as a regular cigarette, and that it is not nicotine free. Now, there are some alternatives and depending on what you buy, there may be some flavors that do not contain nicotine, but they are very few and far between when compared to all the ones containing nicotine. And it also came out that although they may contain less chemicals and are “healthier” than a traditional cigarette, they are by no means safe or healthy in general. They still pose a huge risk to a person’s lung health, and are still addictive.
Vaping Can Be Seen as Trendy
The bigger issue involved with vaping is with kids. Many teens and young adults see smoking as cool and always want to give it a try. Since nicotine is so addictive, it can be hard to quit once you try it, even though most kids may find tobacco and cigarettes gross. But with vaping, the nicotine is now masked by fruity and sweet flavors, and can appear cool to the average teenager. It is a slippery slope for kids to try anything with tobacco, so it is very important to talk with your teens about vaping and the health risks involved.
Katie Kyzivat