The newest hottest trend for young people is an e-cig or vape pen, and for those where cannabis is legal, it is the dab pen. But following everyone else down this particular yellow brick road does not lead to “happily ever after”. Vape pens and dab pens are hot, they’re cool, it smells awesome and it’s killing you. No, literally, it’s killing you. 

I remember as a kid being around my family members who were chain smokers, pipe smokers and cigar tokers. It was all over! I remember smoking sections on airplanes. Of all places! Lol

None of us knew back then how bad smoking was for you. We didn’t know it literally harms every single organ in your body including your heart. I remember scoffing at a scene in Forrest Gump when his pediatrician was fitting Forrest’s legs with the braces while smoking right over him. Or in the movie Hairspray when Tracy walks past a bar during one of her singing montages and sees two very pregnant women drinking martinis AND smoking cigarettes.(the horror!)  

When the cigarette company Virginia Slims coined the logo, “you’ve come a long way baby” I like to think they were predicting their own doom. The catchphrase is unforgettable in pop culture and ironically was coined by a guy, for an ad company in 1968,  who didn’t even smoke cigarettes. Maybe he knew something they didn’t.

Diacetyl, Formaldehyde, Acrolein OH MY!

While vape pens have less chemicals, the Dab pens that have THC in them have more significant dangers associated with them.  John Hopkins goes on to say, “… there has been an outbreak of lung injuries and deaths associated with vaping. In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and 68 deaths attributed to that condition.

“These cases appear to predominantly affect people who modify their vaping devices or use black market modified e-liquids. This is especially true for vaping products containing THC,” explains Blaha.

The CDC has identified vitamin E acetate as a chemical of concern among people with EVALI. Vitamin E acetate is a thickening agent often used in THC vaping products, and it was found in all lung fluid samples of EVALI patients examined by the CDC.”

The CDC recommends that people:

• Do not use THC-containing e-cigarettes or vaping products.
• Avoid using informal sources, such as friends, family or online dealers to obtain a vaping device.
• Do not modify or add any substances to a vaping device that are not intended by the manufacturer.

Rule of thumb, only buy from a reputable source. Buy products with labels and trustworthy companies etc… Many dealers who don’t know where their stuff comes from or are unscrupulous people lace their products with dangerous chemicals or illegal drugs.  It’s deadly.

Vape pen/cigarette facts

• Both are addictive
• Both are bad for your lungs and heart
• The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
• E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

The Newest Way to Get High on the Down Low

Dab pens that administer marijuana have many benefits.  They have less odor, can be cheaper, are easier to use and have a consistent even dosage and trustworthy ingredients. People also vape because they think it’s safer, but it’s not the case. 

Verywellhealth.com says, “THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the substance in marijuana that gets you high. Research suggests that vaping THC oil—which is a common form among vapers—may damage your lungs and increase your risk of negative side effects.

Other ingredients in vape products can harm your lungs, as well.”

Which is the Lesser to Two Evils?  There is no argument that smoking anything is dangerous for your health. Smoking anything is a process of inhaling very hot pieces of debris that can irritate the sensitive tissue in your lungs.  The burning of tobacco leaves can also cause certain chemical reactions that lead the inhaler to breathe in potentially toxic compounds, some that can be linked to cancer. 

When using a vape pen, you are not burning any leaves, instead you are heating the substance until it’s hot enough to create an aerosol.  The hot and harsh smoke from the burning leaves can be harmful to your lungs while the aerosol can be smooth and soothing.   It tricks the user into thinking that something that smooth doesn’t cause any damage. But they are wrong.  

Verywellhealth also says that, “When it comes to the question of whether it’s safer to vape or smoke, it’s a matter of degrees of danger. It’s not safe to smoke or vape anything.

With nicotine-containing products, vaping may be safer than smoking. It involves fewer hazardous chemicals and results in less lung damage. Still, it’s far from safe and can lead to nicotine addiction and potentially fatal lung disease.

With marijuana products, though, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

• Smoking marijuana harms your lungs, but vaping marijuana appears to be even worse.
• What’s more, vaping marijuana appears to be more dangerous than vaping or even smoking nicotine products.

After conducting a study published in 2021, researchers said they were surprised to find that vaping marijuana was even worse than using e-cigarettes. Among adolescents, marijuana vaping was significantly more likely to cause symptoms of lung injury”

The CDC has a wide variety of educational information on all kinds of issues.  They outline the use of nicotine for kids teens and adults as follows:

• Most e-cigarettes (vapes) contain nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.
• A CDC study found that 99% of the e-cigarettes sold in assessed venues in the United States contained nicotine.
• Some vape product labels do not disclose that they contain nicotine, and some vape liquids marketed as containing 0% nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.
• Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain. The brain keeps developing until about age 25.
• Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
• Each time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections – or synapses – are built between brain cells. Young people’s brains build synapses faster than adult brains. Nicotine changes the way these synapses are formed.
• Using nicotine in adolescence may also increase risk for future addiction to other drugs.

How the Companies are Getting our Younger Generations Hooked

Fun smelling/tasting flavors and all the marketing hype are making Vape pens very appealing to youth 

• E-cigarettes come in various flavors, including fruit, candy, mint, and menthol.
• A study from 2013-2014 showed that most youth who use e-cigarettes first start with a flavored variety, and flavors are the primary reason youth report using e-cigarettes.
• In 2022, most youth who reported using e-cigarettes used flavored varieties (84.9%). Among middle and high school students who currently used any type of flavored e-cigarette in 2022, the most commonly used flavors were fruit (69.1%), candy, desserts, or other sweets (38.3%), mint (29.4%), and menthol (26.6%).
• On January 2, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized an enforcement policy that prohibits the sale of prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes in any flavor other than tobacco or menthol, unless authorized by FDA. FDA has since taken additional steps to prohibit certain companies from selling youth-appealing, flavored disposable e-cigarettes and flavored e-liquids without authorization.
• Several states and communities have restricted the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol-flavored products.
• E-cigarettes are also advertised using the same themes and tactics that have been shown to increase youth initiation of other tobacco products, including cigarettes. In 2021, approximately 76% of students reported exposure to tobacco product marketing through traditional sources and approximately 74% of students who used social media had seen e-cigarette–related posts or content.
• Widespread advertising for e-cigarettes, including via media for which advertising for conventional tobacco products is prohibited (e.g., TV), and the lower costs of some e-cigarettes relative to regular cigarettes has contributed to use among youth.
• Many youth also report using e-cigarettes because they are curious about these products.

A Vape Pen Makes Smoking Sneaky

Size and shape- Many of the vape pens etc are sneaky versions of real things that look innocent.  Many tools look like USB sticks.  They are small enough to sneak into their pocket or even down their long sleeves and use in class when no one is looking. 

No smoke- Because you don’t have to light up, many people use their vapes indoors. In schools, kids are using them in the bathrooms and quiet hallways. There is some vapor and the scent that comes out after but it’s very inconspicuous.

The kids are finding easier and easier ways to work around this addiction. The kids can get a high from just sneaking around to smoke and not get caught. 

Can I prevent my child from using a vape pen or help them stop?

The CDC has a great list of ways to help yourself or someone you know quit vape pens etc. Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.

• Set a good example by being tobacco-free and ensure that your kid is not exposed to the secondhand emissions from any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
• If you use tobacco, it’s never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov
•  or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
• Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.
• Get the Talk With Your Teen About E-cigarettes
•  [PDF – 5.2MB] tip sheet for parents. Start the conversation early with children about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them.