Be Smart, Don’t Start Vaping.

What Is It?

The term ‘vaping’ refers to the inhaling and exhaling of the vapor that is produced by a vaping device. While it does not produce tobacco smoke, the vapor created to be inhaled and exhaled contains various amounts of toxic chemicals that have been linked to significant health complications such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease.

What can be ‘Vaped’?

• Nicotine: Typically, vapes are an alternative to smoking cigarettes so that people can feel the effects of nicotine without smoking a cigarette.
• Cannabis/ Marijuana: Cartridges containing cannabis oil can be attached to different vaping devices.

Harmful Effects

• Lack of Brain Development: Nicotine, which is found in vapes, is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development which continues into the mid-20s
• Risk of Addiction: Vaping nicotine at an early age may increase the risk of developing future addictions to other substances
• Cancer: Vapes contain chemicals and toxins that, when inhaled, reach deep into the lungs, which can cause cancer
• Not FDA approved: As of February 2020, the FDA has not approved vaping. This is due to a lack of understanding on this new topic. Current researchers examining the harmful effects of vaping believe that there are more health risks than the ones we currently know about.

Types of Devices

• Electronic-Cigarettes

  

  

• Vape pens

  

• Mods
• Mod Pods (Juul)

What Parents Need to Know

• Vaping is extremely harmful to adolescents and children
• Adolescents may be vaping to cope with mental health issues
• Open communication about vaping is key in helping your child(ren) quit
• There are resources available to support you and your child(ren)

For more information, visit the Colorado State University’s Prevention Research Center (PRC) website. The PRC will host a webcast on February 27th at 12:00 pm MST with special guest, Dr. Adam Leventhal. Soon after, the PRC will post the webcast along with other resources related to youth vaping.