All parents want their kids to be happy and healthy as they grow up, but due to deceptive marketing strategies used by the e-cigarette industry, more young Australians are developing vaping addictions.
These very dangerous and addicting items are flooding Australian communities, putting our young people’s physical and mental wellbeing at risk.
There’s little question that the underlying strategy of the e-cigarette industry is to entice young people, especially females, from a young age with flavours like “fruit loops” and colourful packaging that resembles pens, highlighters, and make-up.
Alarmingly, young individuals who vape claim to feel a sense of dependence or addiction to the chemicals in e-cigarettes, and there is mounting proof that using e-cigarettes increases the chance of developing cancer and harms the heart and brain. Even instances of young users having the device’s batteries explode in their mouths have been reported.
What can parents do to assist their children in navigating this fast increasing health issue if they are unable to passively wait for the government to act?
What is an e-cigarette or vape?
E-cigarettes, more frequently referred to as “vapes,” are battery-powered devices that typically function by heating a viscous liquid until it turns into an aerosol, creating a plume of microscopic particles from a viscous gel.
The term “vape” is used by e-cigarette producers to make consumers believe they are inhaling vapour, but in reality, the “plume” of smoke produced by an e-cigarette user is actually an aerosol containing hazardous chemicals.
As a result, inhaling e-cigarette aerosols deposits hazardous particles deep into the lungs, raising the risk and intensity of respiratory disorders including asthma.
What’s in an electronic cigarette?
Chemicals that have the potential to be harmful are present in the e-cigarettes used by all users.
More than 200 chemicals, including those frequently found in weed killer and nail polish remover, have been linked to the liquids used in vapes.
Nicotine is one component that is very unsettling. Despite being advertised as “nicotine free,” the majority of e-cigarettes still contain this highly addictive substance.
Since their brains continue to develop until the age of 25, teenagers and young people are particularly susceptible to nicotine addiction.
Nicotine can affect memory and focus and is known to damage adolescent brain development.
High levels of tension and worry can also be experienced by young individuals who are dependent on e-cigarettes.
Many people claim that quitting vaping is difficult because they can buy them anywhere and plenty of their friends are vapers.
The risks of e-cigarettes
Our bodies and brains are powered by the clean, fresh air that enters our lungs.
E-cigarettes penetrate our sensitive lung tissue deeply, producing inflammation, aggravating illnesses like asthma, and possibly raising the risk of serious, long-term illness.
Since there are no quality or safety requirements for e-cigarettes, the vaping sector is free to produce these goods without restrictions on their composition or labelling.
Many of the substances in e-cigarettes are extremely corrosive and shouldn’t be inhaled, such as acetone, which is frequently present in paint thinner and insecticides.
The cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein are also present in e-cigarettes. A few of the substances in e-cigarette aerosols can harm DNA as well.
Vape fluid can be toxic to both adults and children when ingested or in touch with the skin. Sweating, wooziness, nausea, and elevated heart rate are all signs of nicotine toxicity.
Why do young people choose to vape?
The vaping industry creates e-cigarettes particularly to appeal to young people, with delicious flavours like strawberry kisses, fruit loops, and chocolate milk wrapped in eye-catching packaging.
In Australia, it is against the law to sell e-cigarettes to anybody under the age of 18, and nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can only be obtained by adults on a doctor’s prescription. Australia does not enforce these limitations.
To market and sell e-cigarettes to teenagers and young people, tobacco and e-cigarette businesses use social media extensively.
On social media sites like TikTok and YouTube, vape challenges are frequently sponsored by tobacco and e-cigarette brands.
These businesses are employing all available strategies to seduce a new generation of Australians with harmful nicotine products.
Regrettably, Australian governments haven’t done much to police current laws or address the loopholes that these businesses exploit to advertise and market their goods.
How should I approach my children about vaping?
Ask inquiries and approach the conversation calmly when speaking to children. Don’t be judgmental or lecture-y.
Please don’t feel bad if your kid tried vaping.
You should bring up vaping in any discussions you may already be having with your teenager about alcohol, smoking, and drugs. There is never a bad time to talk to them about this.
Online information from organisations like Quit Victoria, The Royal Children’s Hospital, and The Raising Children Network are also accessible to help young people better grasp the risks. You can find these tools at quit.org.au/teenvaping.
Getting assistance from and consulting with other parents of teenagers may also be beneficial.
For free advice, dial 13 7848, the Quitline. Any questions you may have about e-cigarettes can be answered by quitline counsellors, who can also give you ideas on how to frame the discussion.
Your teen or young person can have a private, live chat with a Quitline counsellor at quit.org.au if they need assistance quitting vaping.
Ref: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2022-12-05/vaping-what-parents-need-to-know-how-to-help-kids/101725162
If you are having any of the issues mentioned in this article, please reach out to us, and we will do our best to assist you.