By Stephanie O’Brian, Ed. S., LPC
The teen years are notoriously tough years. They are filled with pressure from every direction. The awkwardness of your constantly changing body is compounded with stress from school, peers, homelife, extracurriculars, and more. Today’s teens also have the added challenges technology has introduced such as comparison culture and loneliness. With all of these stressors, it can be easy to welcome anything that may help to diminish the anxiety, even if only for a moment, which is where vaping comes in.
In 2022, roughly one in six high school students used some form of tobacco products, with the most popular being e-cigarettes, says USA TODAY. Data indicated 85% of users preferred flavored vapes which led lawmakers in California to pass Proposition 31, a law that prohibits the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products. Yet, despite major legislative efforts at the state and federal levels, vaping has reached epidemic proportions, especially among teens.
Why Is Vaping So Popular?
There is a belief among many American teens that vaping is harmless and can reduce anxiety to improve mental health. Unfortunately, this misconception, along with multiple other reasons, lead many teens to struggle with a vaping addiction. Some of these include:
- Advertisements targeting teenagers
- The wide range of flavors
- Variety of the devices (including disposable and non-disposable)
- Lack of awareness and education of the consequences
- The belief that it is a better alternative to traditional cigarettes and other drugs
- Its instant gratification upon usage
- Peer pressure
Nicotine does not linger in your system for very long, so once it is gone, the desire to have it again comes back.
For most teenagers, having a readily accessible, pocket-sized outlet for their stress is ideal. There is no need to get a prescription, divulge vulnerable information, or wait an hour for relief to kick in. In fact, vaping with nicotine offers relief in just 10 seconds, the amount of time it takes for the chemical to travel through the blood vessels to the brain. Once it hits the brain, the “feel good” neurotransmitter dopamine is released.
For any human, the desire to repeat a behavior increases once dopamine is released. This is especially true for adolescents, as their frontal lobe (a core part of the decision-making process) has yet to be fully developed. Additionally, nicotine does not linger in your system for very long, so once it is gone, the desire to have it again comes back. Hence, vaping addiction.
Vaping and Mental Health
One of the dangers of vaping for teens and the overall vaping addiction epidemic is how teenagers utilize vaping as a remedy for their stress and anxiety. According to a Truth Initiative survey, 81% of 15- to 24-year-olds began vaping in an effort to decrease anxiety, depression, or stress. However, using vaping as a coping mechanism has proven counterproductive. An NBC News report revealed that, instead of helping to decrease stress, vaping actually worsens mental health symptoms by increasing nicotine receptors in the brain, making it harder to reduce stress through any other means.
Signs of Vaping Addiction
Signs of vaping addiction may start as early as trauma, stress, depression, or anxiety begins. It may also begin as soon as anyone in your teen’s peer group begins vaping. Other signs of vaping addiction include:
- Dry mouth
- Difficulty breathing
- Nosebleeds
- Mouth sores
- Unexplainable cough and/or throat clearing
- Increased irritability and mood swings
- Secrecy (if the addiction is being hidden)
- Frustration and/or rage when unable to vape
The Dangers of Vaping for Teens
Teenagers can display a sense of overconfidence. It can be easy for them to believe they are safe to start vaping because they will not get addicted. But when they want to stop, it is usually too late because that, “Yea, sure, I’ll try it” has now become a multiple-times-a-day addiction. Both Yale Medicine and Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine share many of the dangers of vaping for teenagers. Some of the dangers already associated with vaping include:
- Acute lung injury
- Risk of long-term addiction
- Difficulty concentrating
- Problems with learning and memory
Additionally, teens who vape are far more likely to move on to cigarettes which are already known to be linked to cancers and other diseases.
The ongoing mental health crisis for American youth is compounded by the lack of healthy coping skills amongst teens. While companies like Juul are under litigation for their targeted advertising towards teenagers, Forbes reports how those potential legal solutions will take time.
It took decades for the research to catch up and relay the devastating effects cigarette smoking has on the human body. It may be another few decades before the full extent of the dangers of vaping are known.
Just like baby boomers and Generation Xers grew up seeing cigarette smoking in films and advertisements portrayed as normal and “cool,” today’s teens see vaping as simply being “the thing” you do to relieve stress. It took decades for the research to catch up and relay the devastating effects cigarette smoking has on the human body. It may be another few decades before the full extent of the dangers of vaping are known. What is known is that many teens are simply unaware of the consequences and turn to vaping as a quick fix.
Help is Available
If you or someone you love is struggling to quit vaping, help is available. Truth offers a text-to-quit vaping service that can be joined simply by texting DITCHJUUL to 88709. It’s free, anonymous, and available 24/7.
For those needing more help, the caring professionals here at The Meadows are here to assist you. Whether it’s vaping or another addiction, or any kind of mental health struggle, we will provide you with the support you need. Our research-based approach and proven treatment model has helped thousands of people find healing and wellness, and is customized to fit your specific needs. Reach out today to learn more.