Is Vaping Okay For Teenagers?

More and more people, especially teenagers, are just finding out about the vaping trend that has been around for years. There are different variants of e-cigarettes with wax vaporizers being among the most popular. These vaporizers come in fun flavors which makes the product extremely popular among young people. The rate at which the popularity in these devices is growing amongst young people is alarming as the usage amongst teens is about to reach epidemic proportions.

The underlying problem

It’s illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone who is under the age of 18. These days, there are some sellers who are marketing these products to young people by incorporating kid-friendly marketing strategies into their campaigns. They use youthful images, colors, animations, and actors who appear younger; all these suggest that vaping makes a person happy and improves their social status.

This is a serious concern for parents, teachers, and health professionals. It’s upon them to try and educate these youngsters about the dangers of vaping. This means that they too need to have this information.

How Can Parents and Teachers Help The Teenagers?

It’s very important that teenagers are made to understand the risks that vaping poses to their health. For example, you can start by sharing this article with them so that they can read about the risks.

You could also ask them to join programs and associations supporting fellow quitters. Alternatively, they can start seeing a counselor who will guide them and also help them find the support they need to quit.

If the child is already addicted, there are plenty of treatment options. Consult with a health professional.

Lastly, you need to set a good example for your child by taking care of your own health. It would be very ironic if you smoke but ask them to quit vaping. If you do it, commit to quitting. This will show them how supportive you are of them.

Risks

If you notice that the teenager vapes and have started showing any of the symptoms below, call your doctor right away. Although the health risks of using vaporizers are far less severe as compared to conventional cigarettes, it doesn’t make them completely harmless.

Here are some reported risks and side effects in people who vape:

1. Since the e-liquids contain high nicotine levels, the habit is very addictive and this can easily lead them to use other types of drugs and alcohol
2. Addiction to vaping affects the teenagers’ ability to focus as their alertness and ability to focus decreases
3. The juices contain carcinogenic compounds that expose the users to the risk of getting different types of cancers especially lung cancer.
4. Vaping causes lung irritation and also causes damage to important cells of the immune system.
5. Increased heart rate and blood pressure
6. Potential death especially with marijuana vaping

How Can The Teenagers Stop Vaping?

Since vaping produces very little odor, vapers can easily hide and continue vaping discretely for a very long time before anyone can find out about it.

If the teenager wants to quit vaping, here’s what they can do:

1. Make a personal decision that they want to quit. After looking at the potential risks, that should motivate you to want to quit.
2. Pick a day to do it and tell supportive friends and family about their intentions
3. Get rid of all the vaping supplies
4. Understand about the withdrawal symptoms and how to manage them. Stopping to use nicotine leads to strong cravings and has a couple of signs which are usually strongest during the first few days – they get better as time goes by. They include:
   1. Headaches
   2. Restlessness
   3. Feelings of depression
   4. Trouble sleeping and concentrating