Dangers of Vaping

  Student Vaping (E-cigarettes): Parent Information and Resources  

Vaping can harm youth, yet millions of them vape regularly. The more you talk about the harms of vaping, the easier it will be to address any misinformation your child may have on the damage vaping can do. Damage not just to the lungs, but the whole body.  Please take a moment to review this pamphlet and talk with your child about the life threatening effects vaping can have even if they vape a few times.  The last two pages contain parent resources when it comes to vaping.

Lung Damage and Chemicals 

Some teens assume that using e⁠-⁠cigarettes — also known as vaping — is safe. E⁠-⁠cigarettes can come in many different flavors (added chemicals), which can make your child think vaping is safe. When your child uses an e⁠-⁠cigarette, the liquid inside heats up and becomes the aerosol, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and chemicals, which are toxic. E⁠-⁠cigarette aerosol can also contain other chemicals like formaldehyde and metal particles such as nickel, lead, chromium, tin, and aluminum. Breathing in e⁠-⁠cigarette aerosol can deliver these chemicals to your lungs where they can cause severe life threatening damage.

Dangers of Nicotine 

Using nicotine causes changes in the brain that make a person crave more of the drug. When your child vapes, nicotine gets into their bloodstream through their lungs and travels to their brain within 10 seconds. The drug causes a surge of a brain chemical called dopamine, which is known as a reward chemical. That means it makes the person feel good, encouraging them to vape some more. This can lead to addiction. Teens are more vulnerable to addiction than adults because their brain continues to develop through a person's mid-twenties. Exposing an adolescent's brain to nicotine can cause effects on attention, learning, and memory that increase addiction to nicotine. Studies also show that teens who vape are more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes. 

Staying Safe

Some middle schoolers say they vape because their friends do—either to feel cool or because they're afraid to say "no". The best way to reduce your exposure to the health hazards of vaping is to say "no". What would you do if another kid offered you an e-cigarette? Here are four ways to handle the pressure—and stay safe.

      Saying “no thanks” or “nah that’s my thing

      Make a joke or change the topic!

      Say your suppose to be somewhere and walk away   

      Talk to a parent or adult

FLYERS

VapingResourcesforParents-Spanishdocx.pdf  Los Peligros de "Vaping" ESPAÑOL

VapingResourcesforParentsdocx.pdf FULL ARTICLE - ENGLISH VERSION