Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. Vaping devices come in various size and shapes, and can be used with different flavors

They were introduced to the mass market in the U.S. in 2007

Juul (pronounced “jewel”) is a popular brand of e-cigarette produced by JUUL Labs, Inc.  They are marketed as a smoking cessation product, however, it is not FDA approved.

When the device is used, the battery heats the heating component, which turns the contents of the e-liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled into the lungs and then exhaled.

There are numerous vape brands on the market. JUUL is the number one brand of choice by youth.

Vernon Rockville

• 19% of RHS students report using e-cigarettes within the last year.

Connecticut

• The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. reported 27% of Connecticut high school students use e-cigarettes.  

Nationally

• The 2020 Monitoring the Future Survey revealed that 27.1% of youth report using nicotine e-cigarettes within the last year. 

Sweet/ Flavorful

They also use packaging that resembles candies and sweets that are appealing to youth.

Countless vaping brands produce thousands of vaping flavors that are enticing to youth like mango, cotton candy, mint, lemon, cinnamon bun, buttered popcorn, sour apple, no-bake cheesecake, etc.

They also use packaging that resembles candies and sweets that are appealing to youth.

Cheap

Normal cigarettes average around $10.00 a pack in CT. Compared to a popular brand of E-Cigarettes where, after the initial investment of the device for $34.99, a four-pack of pods costs $15.99. With one pod providing the nicotine equivalent of one pack of conventional cigarettes it makes vaping a cheaper alternative to smoking cigarettes.  

The Surgeon General Report explains, extensive use of price-reducing promotions leads to higher rates of tobacco use among young people than would have occurred in the absence of these promotions.

Easy to Access

These products are readily available at convenient stores and can be purchased easily online with minimal safeguards to age restrictions. 

Vaping Tricks/ Cool

Blowing smoke can be manipulated to do tricks. Youth post the videos of them doing vaping tricks on social media and gain popularity through that skill set. In the past, Big Vape companies have even paid Instagram influencers to use and promote their products.

A Misconception That it is Safe

Vaping is marketed as a better alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes and as a smoking cessation device but they are not approved by the FDA for that purpose and research shows people who vape are more likely to use other nicotine products as well. Vaping has been proven to pose serious health risks, in fact it is an independent risk factor to respiratory/ lung diseases. 

Vaping devices and e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

According to the Surgeon General, because the brain isn’t fully developed until the mid-20s, youth and young adults are uniquely at risk for long-term, long-lasting effects of exposing their developing brains to nicotine.

• Risks include: nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.  And it can also prime the adolescent brain for addiction to other substances.

E-cigarette use among youth and young adults is strongly linked to the use of other tobacco products such as regular cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and smokeless tobacco.

Due to changes in the brain, quitting is harder for those who start at a young age. Prevention is key.

Nicotine, is a stimulant drug found in all tobacco products and E-cigarettes. It is extremely addictive, and one of the most commonly abused drug.

Nicotine and the body

Found in the e-liquids, it is absorbed from the lungs into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, nicotine stimulates the adrenal glands to release the hormone epinephrine.  Epinephrine stimulates the central nervous system and increases blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Nicotine activates the brain’s reward circuits and increases the levels of dopamine, which reinforces rewarding behaviors. The pleasure caused by nicotine is why people continue to use the products despite the consequences to their health and well-being. 

E-cigarettes are a 2.35 billion dollar business in the United States.

As of 2014, the e-cigarette industry spent $125 million a year to advertise their products and used many of the techniques that made traditional cigarettes such a popular consumer product.

Implementing these marketing and advertising strategies are proven to cause youth to use them.  The youth are saturated with these messages and ads, increasing the likelihood of use.  

Many of the Big Tobacco brands have subsidiaries which are the vaping companies. Altria, the makers of Marlboro cigarettes, owns 35% of JUUL Labs

Image taken from dispatch.com

Image taken from dispatch.com

Signs your child may be vaping

Before Talking to Your Child

• Know the facts
• Be patient and ready to LISTEN
• Set a positive example by being nicotine-free
• Try to create the conversation naturally a “we need to talk” conversation is oftentimes intimidating. Instead try to bring it up naturally like when you and your child see someone vaping or see advertisements about it, simply ask your child what their opinions are about it.   
• Talk often, along the same lines of creating it naturally, by talking about it regularly you are opening the dialogue for your child to ask questions when they are ready and it is less stressful for them, opposed to having one big conversation.

During the Conversation

• Ask your child’s attitude on vaping
• Provide reasons to avoid engaging in vaping
• Ask open-ended questions and give your child a chance to voice their opinion.
• The Surgeon General provides additional resources that can be implemented to improve your conversation and reduce youth vaping. Access them  HERE

Questions That May Arise

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/vaping-illness-tracker-evali.html

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html

Sources: National Institute on Drug Abuse; Connecticut Department of Public Health; Federal Food and Drug Administration; US Department of Health and Human Services, American Journal of Preventative Medicine 

Revised November 2021