As a Registered Nurse, I like to educate people on health. And I am concerned about the rise of vaping and the health of our kids and teens. The FDA has called vaping amongst kids and teens an ‘epidemic’, and I agree. In this post, we will review 5 Common Misconceptions about Vaping you need to know. This information is especially important for Parents, Teachers, Counselors, and Youth Leaders.
Problems caused by vaping are alarming…problems such as lung scarring, losing motivation and focus, declining grades and interest in activities that one used to be interested in, and addiction. I pose that vaping is a dangerous societal experiment for kids and teens. It is the job of adults to empower and educate ourselves and do what we can to protect our kids and teens.
Because the issue is so new and still evolving, there is a steep learning curve happening. Here are five misconceptions about vaping that many parents, teachers, counselors, and leaders do not know that they need to know.
1. Myth: Vaping nicotine is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
Truth: Lung scarring from vaping flavored substances is real and can be permanent. One name for it is ‘popcorn lung.’ Flavorings are just not meant to be inhaled into the lungs. I know that the FDA is taking some measures to outlaw some vape flavorings. In my opinion, to protect our youth, outlawing flavorings and reducing ease of access to vapes for kids and teens, cannot happen soon enough.
Vape oils are also highly concentrated. It is very easy to get lots more of the substance (like nicotine) being vaped into one’s body. Because concentrations are higher, lung and brain damage are amplified and increased. This article explains in detail why using any substance, including nicotine, especially before age 25, can permanently rewire the brain and is best avoided.
2. Myth: Vapes contain just nicotine.
Truth: They can also contain THC in much higher amounts of it than in the old-fashioned marijuana ‘joint’. THC oil for vaping can contain very high percentages of THC, such as 92% THC. For reference, the average ‘joint’ has 5-20% THC.
THC is the active component of marijuana which causes the high. It can be inhaled using e-cigarette pens, Juuls, and vapes. For ease, I am lumping all these inhalation devices into one category and calling it ‘vaping.’ The key fact is: ANYTHING used to vape nicotine can be used to vape THC.
Vape liquids are not well-regulated and therefore can contain a hodge-podge of synthetic chemicals which may or may not produce a high, purchased right down the street at your local, neighborhood gas station, or easily purchased online. They have names like ‘K2’ and ‘Spice.’ Chemists bypass laws by coming out with new synthetic concoctions all the time. From what I understand, there are so many variations (70-90) that they do not show up on drug tests. Thankfully, there are tighter age restrictions around purchasing vape related products now.
3. MANY parents whose kids are vaping THC have NO IDEA it is happening for many months.
Unlike marijuana ‘joints’ that reek when smoked, there is no obvious marijuana smell with vaping. Vaping THC can smell like NOTHING. It can also smell sweet or minty based on flavoring. Berry, mint, bubblegum, etc. are popular choices. Some kid or teens even skip the vape and simply place a drop of the THC oil on their tongue to get high, which is definitely odorless.
4. MOST parents have no idea that, according to some sources, as many as 50-60% of high school kids are active THC users.
This national statistic, provided to me by Dean Monteleone, Clinical Director for Caron Outpatient Rehab in Atlanta, in June of 2019, is so shocking that it feels like it must be a joke. But unfortunately, it is not. Instead, I consider this to be a relatively new and alarming problem of epidemic proportion. We all need to open our eyes because our precious kids and teens are pawns and are taking the brunt of the damage of this societal experiment.
Find an honest and open high school kid and ask them what trends that they see when it comes to vaping. You may be shocked at what they report. This article from Harvard Medical School also shows steep increases in vaping amongst young people in the last few years. As does this article from NPR. Notice the JAMA study cited in the NPR article only considers prevalence of vaping nicotine and does not even mention prevalence of vaping THC and other substances. Though it’s surprisingly early, it’s good to talk with your kids as early as 4th grade about the dangers of vaping.
5. THC can, contrary to common belief, be addictive.
Contrary to outdated beliefs, science has proven THC can be addictive when abused. When a person stops THC use, they do not have severe, obvious symptoms, such as, for example, tremors seen when an alcohol abuser stops drinking alcohol. What they do have, however, are more subtle symptoms over time, such as anxiety, lack of motivation, decline in executive functioning abilities, or the inability to relax without the THC.
Look out for my next article educating those who have teens in their lives that they care about on how to determine if the child or teen in your life is vaping. I will also be writing about how to take good care of yourself during highly stressful times with your kids and teens.
As a Nurse Coach, I am an expert in and have helped many clients with successful behavior change. And the first step in making a change is awareness of what is actually happening. Let’s become empowered with accurate information so that we are aware of the world that our kids and teens are living in and the issues that they face.
Amy Holaday is a Registered Nurse, FNLP, Health Coach, a Stress and Trauma Reduction Bodyworker, and the mom of two teens, in the Atlanta, Georgia area. She can be reached at www.soulpathwellness.com and would love to hear from you and continue this important conversation.