Everyone knows cigarettes are bad for you. It’s written right there on the label. But what do we know about vaping? The new trend has been advertised as a healthier alternative to smoking, and a step on the path to living a smoke free life. However, new studies are starting to emerge showing that maybe vaping isn’t all it’s supposed to be.
E-cigarette and vaping devices are now the most commonly used nicotine products among teens. A survey of middle and high school students in the US showed that between 2011 and 2016 the number of kids who vaped rose 900% (1). And the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey puts the numbers at “3 million, or 20% of high school students.” (2). Even more concerning than those numbers is the fact that 2/3 of teens surveyed by The Wall Street Journal and Mercury Analytics believed that vaping could be a part of a “healthy lifestyle” (2). There seems to be a common misconception that since e-cigarettes aren’t actually cigarettes than they must be a less addictive and less harmful solution. In addition, adolescence is a volatile time, and a teenagers emotional drive is through the roof. Sub cortical limbic structures like the hypothalamus, dopamine areas, and amygdala are experiencing a hormonal boost, while cognitive self-control and decision making is still developing. (3) What this means is that teenagers have more risk-taking behavior which is easily influenced by their peers and perceived social standings. The increase in vaping among teens is due to the prevalence in their everyday lives and supposed lack of social stigma behind
What make e-cigarettes better than cigarettes? The primary selling point is that they don’t contain tobacco, a chemical linked to cancer-affected smokers. But the truth is, even though they’re missing the most well known carcinogen, there are other chemicals you should be worried about. Ever since 2009 the FDA has been pointing out that, “that e-cigarettes contain detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals to which users could be exposed.” (4). Examples include finding formaldehyde in 42 different liquid cartridges used in e-cigarettes, and significant amounts of benzene, also a carcinogen, in the vapor of popular brands. In addition, the argument that vaping can be used as a stepping stone to quitting smoking all together doesn’t have much credence.
E-cigarettes have not received the Food and Drug Administration approval in being labeled as proper devices for quitting smoking, and several studies have shown that people who use e-cigarettes to kick the habit are either still smoking them several months later, or have returned to regular cigarettes (5). The reason being that both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, which is what makes them so addictive. In addition, some e-cigarettes provide more nicotine than you would get through a regular cigarette, thanks to their extra strength cartridges.
What are the psychological side effects to consider with an addiction to smoking, specifically with e-cigarettes? Teenagers are the most at risk for the negative side effects of nicotine because their brains are still developing. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), is the part of the brain responsible for executive functioning and attention performance and is still maturing in teenagers. A 2012 study discovered that there were “molecular changes induced by adolescent nicotine exposure that alter the functioning of the synapses in the PFC and underlie lasting effects on cognitive function” (6). Nicotine acts as a stimulant and it very easily becomes dependence-forming. In fact the American Heart Association writes, “Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break. ” Vaping won’t stop the negative psychological side effects of a nicotine addiction but it can prevent some of the physiological side effects seen with tobacco smoking.
It’s important to consider all the facts, especially today on Kick Butts Day (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids). The recent surge of vaping in young peoples is due in some part to the stigmatization of smoking. They believe that vaping is a less problematic and a healthier alternative and have taken up the habit unaware of the problems with it. Now more than ever, with vaping’s increasing popularity, it’s time to start educating everyone on why e-cigarettes are not the safe solution!
Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6623a1.htm
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/teen-angst/201804/the-vaping-trend
- Spear LP 2000. The adolescent brain and age-related behavioral manifestations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 24: 417–463
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_heart/know_your_risks/5-truths-you-need-to-know-about-vaping
- http://www.center4research.org/vaping-safer-smoking-cigarettes-2/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543069/
