Vaping

I am writing this post because there is a real concern that many young students believe that vaping is harmless and they can't get addicted. If you are not aware of the term "vaping", I am referring to the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an
e-cigarette or similar device. The term is used because e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, but rather an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor, that actually consists of fine particles. Many of these particles contain varying amounts of toxic chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, as well as respiratory and heart disease. The newest and most popular vaping device is the JUUL, which is a small sleek device that resembles a computer USB flash drive. It's subtle, easy to hide and doesn't put off a lot of smoke, thus popular with middle and high students.

In 2017, 1 in 10 students currently used an e-cigarette; now it is 1 in 5. That's more than 3 million kids, and after several years of decline, overall tobacco use is up, largely due to the rising popularity of e-cigarettes. Additionally, many teens do not view these products as harmful and some aren't even aware that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. This is where we come in. All of us need to work together to solve this problem. Parents, teachers and yes, even you fellow students. Get the word out and explain that vaping is serious and addictive.

Some common myths: 1) It's just water vapor - No it's not. Vaping can expose the user's lungs to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, diacetyl and acrolein. 2) It's just flavoring - Vapes get their flavors from chemicals. While these flavorings are safe in food, inhaling flavors can harm your lungs. 3) My vape says it's nicotine free - Some vapes that claim they are nicotine-free are not! 4) I don't have an addictive personality, I won't get hooked - Vaping delivers nicotine to the brain in as little as 10 seconds. Research shows teens who vape are more likely to try smoking cigarettes.

I believe education and parents put a pretty good halt to tobacco use in young students a few years back. According to the CDC, from 2011 to 2017, cigarette smoking declined among middle and high school students. In 2017, 2 of every 100 middle school students (2.1%) reported that they smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days-a decrease from 4.3% in 2011. However, our children are being attacked again, and they need our help. We need to educate them as to the consequences of vaping and e-cigarettes. In the past year alone, vaping among high student's has increased 78%.

As all of you can see, vaping is no joke. Please get the word out to as many people you can. Discuss it with your family and friends. If you see someone vaping, throw some of these facts at them. Maybe this Thanksgiving break you will have the opportunity to speak to someone about vaping. Grab the opportunity and you just might save someone's life. Thanks for reading and have a great Thanksgiving and a relaxing break.