Vaping: the New Health Threat

Vaping is inhaling vapour created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and there is strong evidence that vaping leads to poisoning, injuries, burns, toxicity, addiction and lung injury. For those who’ve never smoked, the odds of becoming a smoker are more than three times higher if you vape compared to if you don’t vape.

In September this year, University of Sydney research found it’s common among teens. They surveyed more than 700 young people from New South Wales aged 14 to 17-years-old and found teenagers are readily accessing and using illegal, flavoured, disposable vaping products that contain nicotine. Among the teens in the survey, 32 per cent had vaped, at least a few puffs. Of these, more than half (54 per cent) had never previously smoked.

E-cigarettes (or ‘vape pens’) heat a liquid until it becomes a vapour. The liquid, called e-liquid or ‘vape juice’, can contain nicotine or marijuana distillate or oil. E-cigarettes can be refillable or pre-filled with cartridges containing the e-liquid - the pre-filled e-cigarettes, called ‘Puff Bars’, are designed for one-time use. These devices are easy to use, easily hidden, do not require refilling and are activated by inhaling on the mouthpiece.

Most teens in the NSW survey (70 per cent) didn’t directly buy the last vape they used. The vast majority (80 per cent) got it from their friends. Of the 30 per cent who bought their own vape, close to half (49 per cent) bought it from a friend or another individual, and 31 per cent bought it from a retailer such as a petrol station, tobacconist or convenience store. Teens also said they bought vapes through social media, at vape stores and via websites.

The facts are:

  • Disposable vapes can contain hundreds or thousands of puffs and they are inexpensive. Illicit vapes from retail stores cost $20-$30, or as little as $5 online.
  • There is an enormous range of vape flavours likely to appeal to children – from chewing gum and fruit to soft drink and even dessert flavours. So, it is not surprising that teens rated ‘flavourings and taste’ as the most important characteristic of vapes they used.
  • Disposable vapes often contain very high concentrations of nicotine, even those claiming to be nicotine-free. These products are made using nicotine salts rather than the free-base nicotine you find in cigarettes and this allows manufacturers to increase the nicotine concentration without causing throat irritation.
  • Over half (53 per cent) of the teens who had ever vaped said they had used a vape containing nicotine. But 27 per cent were unsure whether they had used a vape containing nicotine.
  • In Australia, it is illegal to sell all vaping products, irrespective of nicotine content, to under 18s.
  • Disposable vapes containing nicotine can only be legally sold in Australia by pharmacies to adult users with a valid prescription.

Research results emphasise that teen vaping is increasingly normalised and the most popular devices are designed to be highly appealing to young people. This is despite product manufacturers claiming they are smoking cessation aids only for adult smokers who are struggling to quit.

Signs of vaping include:

  • new health issues such as coughing or wheezing
  • e-cigarette supplies, like cartridges or other suspicious looking items
  • new smells, so parents might notice fruity or sweet scents.

Start a conversation about vaping by asking your child in a nonjudgmental, concerned way if they have tried it. Even if you don’t think your kids vape, talk about it anyway so they know it’s unhealthy.

By learning about vaping, parents can:

  • Talk to their kids about its health risks.
  • Recognise if their child might be vaping.
  • Get help for kids who are vaping.

Your conversation may include:

  • wanting to be the best, healthiest version of themselves
  • not wanting to be addicted
  • avoiding health effects including sleep problems and decreased sports performance
  • not wanting to increase anxiety or depression
  • saving money
  • going against advertising that targets young people.
  • some people use vaping to curb their appetite, but there’s no proof vaping helps with weight loss. If you think this is why your child vapes, talk to them about healthier ways to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight.

Dangers of vaping are:

  • addiction: e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that’s highly addictive. You don’t have to vape every day to get addicted.
  • anxiety and depression: nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control and attention, especially in developing brains.
  • becoming a smoker: young people who vape are more likely to start smoking regular (tobacco) cigarettes and may be more likely to develop other addictions in the future.
  • impotence: there is some evidence that vaping can cause sexual dysfunction in men.
  • sleep problems
  • exposure to cancer-causing chemicals
  • chronic bronchitis
  • lung damage that can be life-threatening.

There may be other health effects that we don’t know about yet because vaping hasn’t been around that long, so its health risks aren’t all known.

For those who want to quit, it can help to:

  • Decide why you want to quit and write it down or put it in your phone. You can look at the reason(s) when you feel the urge to vape.
  • Pick a day to stop vaping. You can put it on the calendar and tell supportive friends and family that you're quitting on that day.
  • Chewing sugar-free gum or lollipops can help distract you from cravings.
  • Get rid of all vaping supplies.
  • Download tools such as apps and texting programs to your phone that can help with cravings and give encouragement while you’re trying to stop vaping. Truth Initiative’s This Is Quitting texting program, for example, can help young people quit vaping. Smokefree.gov also offers free apps and other tools that can help someone trying to quit smoking or vaping.
  • Understand withdrawal. Nicotine addiction leads to very strong cravings for nicotine, especially in the first few days after stopping. It also can lead to headaches, feeling tired, cranky, angry, depressed, problems concentrating or sleeping, hunger and restlessness. These problems get better over the following days and weeks.

Parents can set a good example by taking care of their own health. Make your house smoke-free and vape-free. If you smoke or vape, make the commitment to quit and talk to your children about why you want to quit.

A Four Corners documentary on ABC TV earlier this year showed parents and schools are struggling to manage this swift rise in vaping and there are grave fears that children are addicted and harming their health.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/20...

Alan Clarke

School Psychologist