Vaping Gaining Popularity Among Youth
Vaping has gained significant popularity among our young people, with a growing number of high school students now vaping instead of smoking traditional cigarettes. This trend is due to targeted marketing by vaping companies who often use sweet and fruity flavors to appeal to young people. As a result, high school students are more likely to use vapes than adults, as noted by the Surgeon General’s youth vaping campaign website. The website provides a wealth of statistics and facts related to the issue, highlighting the alarming rise in vaping among young people and its potential health risks.
Only 40% of Teens Believe Vaping is Harmful
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug with serious negative consequences for young brains. The Surgeon General issued an advisory on youth vaping in 2018, warning about our youth’s exposure to nicotine.
The concern of youth becoming addicted to nicotine and other drugs, having trouble paying attention and concentrating, and experiencing mood disorders and reduced impulse control is not new. Studies show that these problems can persist for the rest of their lives.
The Surgeon General’s Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth reaffirms the need for an aggressive approach. This is to protect our children from these highly addictive products. These products introduce a new generation of deception about nicotine addiction that many of us remember from the 70s and 80s with the Marlboro Man and Joe Camel.
You Can Take Action
We must take aggressive steps to protect our children from these highly potent products that risk exposing a new generation of young people to nicotine.2,7 The bad news is that e-cigarette use has become an epidemic among our nation’s young people. However, the good news is that we know what works to effectively protect our kids from all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes.1,2,12 We must now apply these strategies to ecigarettes, including USB flash drive shaped products such as JUUL. To achieve success, we must work together, aligning and coordinating efforts across both old and new partners at the national, state, and local levels. Everyone can play an important role in protecting our nation’s young people from the risks of e-cigarettes.
Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, VADM Jerome Adams,
Impact on Developing Brains and Bodies
We face more than just nicotine when it comes to vapes. THC oil, a compound found in marijuana, can also be bought in vaping cartridges. Each vape puff can also contain toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, nickel, cadmium, tin, acrolein, and lead. These chemicals have alarming effects on developing brains and bodies.
Talk, They Hear You
Signs of vaping include the following:
- A faint scent of flavoring in your house that you can’t locate or identify
- An increase in your teen’s thirst level
- A rise in the number and frequency of nosebleeds your teen experiences
- A decrease in your teen’s caffeine consumption
We urge parents to discuss the risks of vaping with their children, even when it’s a challenge. Kids may not be keen to listen, but it’s important for parents to persist. There are resources like the Talk, They Hear You campaign that can help you find the right words. You have the biggest impact on your kids’ lives, even when it doesn’t always feel like it.
Join us for the FOH Vape Free Kids 5k Color Run
The Field of Hope prevention team is passionate about the well-being of our youth. We organized a 5K Color Run to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of vaping. One of our goals is to help build a support network for those kids struggling with vaping and ready to make a change. We thank our partners at the Gallia- Jackson- Meigs ADAMH Board and Gallia HOPE for helping to sponsor the event.
Join us on June 10, 2023, for the FOH Vape Free Kids 5K Color Run. Registration begins at 9:00 AM at the Fresenius Kidney Center in Gallipolis. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for kids 17 years of age and younger.
Registration fees go toward ongoing prevention efforts to help local youth through the Field of Hope Resiliency Center and events. Our goal is to foster healthy habits.
Our resiliency program is scheduled to commence in September 2024 and will be instrumental in achieving our prevention goals. The program aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment for evening and summer activities, creating a space where individuals can come together to build resilience and strengthen their mental and emotional well-being. By offering a range of engaging and supportive activities, we hope to empower individuals to overcome challenges and develop the skills they need to thrive in all areas of their lives.
Sign up for the 5k today and help us raise awareness about the dangers of vaping!
Organizations such as Field of Hope and Gallia-Jackson-Meigs ADAMH Board work to try to help those who are lost in addiction and unsure where to go or who to turn to. At Field of Hope, we understand that there can be many obstacles when rebuilding a new life in recovery. You will not do this alone. We provide services for drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction recovery and mental health care. Caring staff will walk alongside you to help you put the pieces together from start to finish. Call us today at (740) 245-3051