Don’t let that bubble gum flavor fool you. People who vape are going to try and convince you that e-cigarettes and related products are harmless, especially when compared to actual cigarettes. However, not only is this belief totally invalid, it’s also extremely dangerous to the teens and young adults who seem to have gotten hooked on the trend the worst. According to the CDC, e-cigarette use among high school students increased from 4.5% in 2013 to 13.4% in 2014, which equates to an increase of about 660,000 to 2 million students using products containing the highly addictive drug nicotine. Despite the concern for e-cigs being a possible gateway to nicotine addiction, risks are often overlooked by the young people amongst whom the habit is most popular. According to CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., “Adolescence is a critical time for brain development. Nicotine exposure at a young age may cause lasting harm to brain development, promote addiction, and lead to sustained tobacco use.”
But if that’s the case, then why are more people smoking electronic cigs than ever? Well, for one, there’s the image of vaping – you’ve witnessed it walking to class as the guy in front of you decides to puff a nice cloud of watermelon vapor for you to walk into. It’s only cool if it’s obnoxious, right? And then there’s the rationale that vapes and electronic cigs don’t contain the same carcinogens as tobacco, so they’re inherently safer. However, “safer” is a completely relative term and doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing as “safe.” In the WHO’s August 2014 report on e-cigarettes, it was found that the “water vapor” produced by e-cigs might not be just water and in fact may contain an unknown mix of other chemicals on top of nicotine. In addition, there’s the industry’s impeccable knack for preying on adolescents and young adults through marketing that takes advantage of the impulsivity and influenceability of young people. I mean, how can anyone think that something with the name watermelon wave or sugar candy stix be deadly?
Here’s the truth: smoking anything is going to be bad for your lungs, and in the long run, bad for you. Don’t be the douche who blows clouds of vape on the sidewalk while other people are trying to walk by, and for goodness sake don’t influence younger kids by playing off vaping as cool and trendy. Better yet, quit. Your health isn’t worth the risk, and with SBU’s new smoking policy there are so many available (and free) resources for people who want to kick their smoking habits and nicotine addictions.