The Skinny on Vaping

After years of decline, teenage use of tobacco products has spiked  from 3.6 million in 2017 to 4.9 million in 2018.

The surgeon general announced that teen vaping has become an epidemic. In 2018, vaping was up 80% among high schoolers and 50% among middle schoolers from 2017.

An e-cigarette is a device consisting of a battery, a heat source and a pod of liquid nicotine that heats nicotine into an aerosol form, which is inhaled. Each pod is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. Some teens use two pods per day.

Nicotine is a neurotoxin which hijacks learning mechanisms in a teenage brain. Nicotine increases anxiety, irritability, mood swings and learning difficulties. Teen brains are vulnerable to addiction because the brain develops til age 25.

Teens are attracted to e-cigs because they look like cool school supplies, and they are curious to try the flavors.

 For more information go to flavorshookkids.org