It looks like a flash drive and plugs into a laptop’s USB port like a flash drive, but it is not a flash drive. It’s actually an e-cigarette, or e-cigarette, and it’s been causing a stir in schools across the country since it was introduced in 2015.
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Juul® is a sleek, black pen that fits in the palm of your hand. Like other best-selling e-cigarettes on the market (including Vuse®, Logic®, Blu®, and MarkTen®), it comes with small “juice” cartridges that contain nicotine, fruity aromas, and other chemicals. The cartridges stick to the device and the juice heats up when the user inhales, creating a vapor that provides a quick shot of nicotine and the pleasant sensation that cigarette smoking creates, the pulmonologist explains. Humberto Choi, MD.
But unlike other types of e-cigarettes, Juul and the new class of devices are discreet enough for teens to use in school bathrooms, hallways, and even classrooms. They are small and easy to hide, and the fruity-smelling smoke quickly dissipates. “Juuling” has not only become so popular that it is now a verb, but has even inspired a number of social media labels.
Although the companies that make these products say they are meant to be used as alternatives for adult smokers over the age of 21, teenagers are still holding their hands. In fact, use among teens is as rampant as the The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially authorizes it all Juul branded e-cigarettes to be withdrawn from the market.
“The agency has devoted significant resources to reviewing products from companies that account for most of the U.S. market,” FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said in a statement. “We recognize that they are an important part of the products available and many have played a disproportionate role in increasing youth vaping.”
Dr. Choi explains the possible health problems related to steaming and what steps you can take to fix it with your teenage children.
What do we know about the dangers of vaping?
Although there has been a significant drop in juvenile smoking over the past decade, the use of other tobacco products such as e-cigarettes in this age group continues to increase. Young people take electronic cigarettes more often because family or friends use them, or because the juice has attractive flavors such as mint or fruit, according to a Survey 2016.
In this same survey, 17% of middle and high school users also said they resorted to e-cigarettes because they believed that‘they are less harmful than other forms of tobacco, such as cigarettes.
While research is still being done on the long-term safety of e-cigarettes, say health experts like Dr. Choi. the precaution is justified. A recent study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that Electronic cigarettes are a major risk factor for respiratory diseases.
The risks of nicotine
There is also concern for increase in e-cigarettes and its potential risk of nicotine addiction. Due to the attractive design and attractive flavors, young people may not understand that they are actually taking high concentrations of nicotine (juices contain up to 5% nicotine), ie highly addictive and harmful brain development.
Vapear Vs. to smoke
So what’s the difference between vaporizing and smoking? The main thing that separates them is that one (smoking) burns tobacco, while the other (electronic cigarettes) heats nicotine combined with flavorings and other chemicals in an aerosol. In both cases, a significant amount of steam and fumes enter the lungs.
While vaporizing has been considered less harmful than smoking, this does not mean that it does not have its own set of short- and long-term risks.
“We know that in the short term they can cause inflammation in the airways and lungs,” Dr. Choi explains. “It will take a while until we see the long-term consequences, but our expectation is that they could cause harm similar to that of smoking cigarettes.” Experts are also concerned that teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely to start smoking tobacco.
Other harmful ingredients
Not only nicotine can have a negative effect. Electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco or tar, but they do contain “many other chemicals that can be harmful, sometimes in combination,” says Dr. Choi. Propylene glycol, for example, is an ingredient. It is commonly used as a food additive and is considered safe for ingestion, but it is unclear whether it is safe to inhale for an extended period of time.
Another concern has been vitamin E, a supplement that’s okay to take orally and topically, but the evidence suggests it’s not something you want to cover your lungs with.
“I think the point here is that we can’t consider aerosols with these chemicals safe when inhaled,” notes Dr. Choi.
Vaping and marijuana
In addition to flavored juices and nicotine, steam cigarettes can also be used to smoke marijuana. In 2018, it was found that marijuana vaporization in adolescents had increased from 9.5% to 13.1% in one year.
Vaping marijuana is often done by using marijuana concentrate, which contains very potent amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), spray pens with marijuana concentrate can be up to four times stronger than other types of marijuana. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also showed that the use of THC vaporization products has been linked to EVALI, a medical condition where a person’s lungs are severely damaged.
“Most of these THC-containing products come from informal, unregulated sources, so they may contain unknown substances,” warns Dr. Choi.
There are also concerns about the tendency to vaporize CBD oil, mainly because it may also contain unregulated substances and harmful chemicals.
Turn your worries into conversations
The truth is that your child may have already been exposed to the general concept of vaping.
Whether or not you suspect your child may be involved or being pressured to vape, Dr. Choi suggests that you address the issue with your teens. “I think it’s important to keep the conversation going anyway,” he says. “They’re likely to find themselves in a situation where someone uses e-cigarettes or is offered to use one.”
Different people are attracted to e-cigarettes for different reasons, says Dr. Choi, so there is no good way to raise your potential dangers with your children. But understanding what might motivate them to try it or talking about ways to respond to peer pressure can be a good start.
Keep an open, ongoing conversation
It’s normal for this conversation to happen over time, so don’t feel discouraged if the first couple of chats don’t feel productive. You can also try working on the conversation about e-cigarettes and vaporization in everyday situations such as:
- Going through a cigarette shop.
- Watching an e-cigarette on a TV show or movie.
- See an ad for an e-cigarette in a store or online.
Give a good example
Another good way to dissuade your child from smoking (or smoking) is to lead by example. Even taking steps to stop smoking in your life can help influence your child’s future actions.
What if they are already vaporizing?
If you suspect that your teen may have caught the steam, the best thing you can do is approach them through open communication. Before you “talk” about e-cigarettes, it may be a good idea to gather an information sheet about the damage and risks of vaping. Coming armed with information could be the best way to get your teen to do it.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians examine families and advise patients on the health risks of e-cigarettes,” says Dr. Choi. “Unfortunately, the increasing use of e-cigarettes among teenagers is so worrying that we need to be more proactive.”
If you think you are not going through this, ask your doctor to talk about the dangers of smoking and e-cigarettes at your child’s next appointment. Other resources, such as the Surgeon General’s Office, can also be helpful in presenting information to your teen about vaping.
