E-cigarettes and other vaping devices are NOT risk-free. While generally agreed they’re less harmful than smoking cigarettes, a growing body of research indicates that they may lead to negative health consequences.
There is no evidence that the aerosol from these products is safe either. The additives, heavy metals, ultra fine particles, and other ingredients that they contain, include toxins and carcinogens.
According to the American Lung Association, using electronic cigarettes or vaping, particularly the flavored varieties containing diacetyl, can cause popcorn lung. A 2015 study of flavored e-cigarettes found that 39 out of 51 tested brands contained diacetyl.
Juul cartridges contain the nicotine equivalent of a whole pack of cigarettes.
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug with known health risks; nicotine addiction is notoriously difficult to reverse.
63% of 15-24 yr-olds report being unaware JUULs always contained nicotine.
Nearly 10% of children aged 15-17 have used a Juul.
15- to 17-year-olds have over 16 times greater odds of being current JUUL users compared to those between 25 and 34 years old.
The FDA anticipates at least a 77% increase in e-cigarette use among high school students in 2018 compared to 2017.
JUUL’s unit sales increased more than 600% in 2017.
The younger a person is when he or she tries nicotine, the greater the risk of addiction. The developing brain is more vulnerable to the effects of addictive substances than a fully developed adult brain. To put it simply, the younger the brain, the more easily its reward circuits can be manipulated which greatly enhances the risk of future addiction of other substances.
The spread of e-cigarettes and other vaping devices may be re-normalizing smoking behavior, especially among young people.
Teens using these products, who were not smokers in the first place, are four times more likely to go on to smoke cigarettes.
THE COMMUNITY IN CRISIS TAKEAWAY?
While the Juul manufacturers claim to gear their products to adults, data points to the fact that teenagers are more likely to use these devices than adults, potentially creating a new generation of smokers. There’s no denying that nicotine is harmful to developing brains, therefore younger users are more likely to become addicted, have more difficulty quitting and are at higher risk for addiction to other substances in the future. If you’d like tips on how to talk to your kids about this in a healthy, productive way, let us know at info@communityincrisis.org. We’re always here to help.
