Ep 190: Teen Vaping

Jamie Ducharme, author of Big Vape, demystifies the vaping
industry and explains how teens have been lured into vape
addictions. Plus, she shares some tips for relaying  to
teens the truth about e-cigarettes and vapes.





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Full show notes


When most of us first heard about vaping, we were told it was a
way for smokers to put down a cigarette and try something a
little healthier. We probably didn’t think it was particularly
dangerous…or something our teens were likely ever to become
addicted to! But in the past few years, e-cigarettes have become
massively popular among young adults. These affordable,
fruit-flavored, colorful devices are not only easy for teens to
obtain, but also easy to hide–they often look just like flash
drives!





For parents who know the dangers of cigarettes, it can be
confusing and concerning to watch these devices develop a massive
young fan base. With little science to help us understand their
ingredients or effects, it can be hard to know if they are even
remotely safe for kids to use. As far as we know, beyond their
extremely addicting qualities, they could have life-threatening
side effects!





Today, we’re separating fact from fiction to discover the truth
about vaping. Joining us is journalist Jamie Ducharme, author of
Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul. Jamie covers health,
science and medicine for Time magazine. She’s been writing about
the rise of vapes since 2018, when the invention of the popular
Juul device brought vaping to the forefront of widespread public
fascination. Her research can give us some insight into the
mysteries of these electronic cigarettes, and help us finally
figure out what effects they’re really having on our kids.





In our interview, Jamie is explaining the potential dangers vapes
pose to developing teens. Plus, we discuss the powerful marketing
and deliberate spread of misinformation surrounding these
devices, and how we can encourage teens to make educated choices
before they pick a vape themselves.



Is Vaping Dangerous?


We know that cigarettes can cause cancer, emphysema and more…but
do vapes do the same? Jamie explains that the parts of cigarettes
that cause cancer are largely tied to the combustion process–in
other words, lighting stuff on fire and inhaling the smoke! Vapes
don’t need fire to operate, as they use electricity to heat up a
nicotine fluid that can then be inhaled. This means they might
not be as cancerous as cigarettes–but according to Jamie, the
jury is still out on how dangerous vaping really is.





Part of the problem is a serious lack of information and
regulation. Jamie explains that the FDA has yet to deliver a
regulatory process for big vape brands like Juul–meaning that
these products are flying off the shelves without being properly
evaluated. E-cigarette companies have done remarkably little
research on the effects of their products, says Jamie, simply
testing them on employees on occasion instead of running
consistent, sophisticated trials.





Some research suggests that vapes cause brain and lung damage,
but we could definitely do with some more information on their
effects, says Jamie. No matter what’s in them, they’re still
designed to deliver nicotine, one of the world’s most addictive
substances…and that alone is pretty concerning, Jamie believes.
On a spectrum from inhaling clean air to inhaling the smoke from
a cigarette, vaping falls somewhere in the middle, she says. The
safest thing for kids to do in her opinion? Avoid nicotine
products all together.





But it’s not always easy to keep kids from using E-cigarettes,
especially because they’re designed and marketed to appeal to
young adults! Jamie and I talk in our interview about how vape
manufacturers are trying to get kids hooked on their products.





Marketing and Misinformation





Vapes were originally created to help smokers curb their
cigarette addictions, but manufacturers found an unexpectedly
massive market among teenagers who’ve never smoked cigarettes at
all. When they discovered that this demographic could put money
in their pockets, they began using young, millennial models to
advertise their products, to make them seem cool and trendy,
Jamie explains.





 In the process, they totally neglected to mention that
these devices existed to dispense nicotine, says Jamie. In fact,
many young people believed they were just inhaling flavored water
vapor! Nowadays, these products are required to reveal their
nicotine content right on the box, on a sizable warning label.
The few regulations the government has set up for proper labeling
and education has had some effect, with rates of use dropping
from 27% of high school students to 10% within a few years of
requiring labels.





Although big vape companies require people to verify their age
online or in stores before ordering the products, teens have said
that there are plenty of ways around this obstacle. Some people
buy the products in bulk and resell them to underage kids, and
some teens even scam the Juul customer service department by
using a serial number to claim a broken product and demand a
replacement! However kids are doing it, they’re able to get these
products pretty easily for an affordable price, says Jamie.





So…does this mean your teen is vaping? Jamie explains how we can
strike up a conversation with teens to find out if they’re using
e-cigarettes or to prevent them from ever starting.



How Can I Talk to My Teen About Vaping?


Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot any physical symptoms of
regular vape use in teens, says Jamie. Unlike cigarettes, they
don’t produce ash or a strong smell. Many times, parents begin to
detect that teens become more distant or withdrawn, have mood
swings and anxiety or seem to lose interest in things they care
about, and that’s how they discover their teen has been vaping,
explains Jamie. If your teen seems to be a little off, Jamie
recommends opening up a conversation to find out if they might be
using these products.





Whether or not a teen is actively vaping, Jamie encourages
parents to strike up a conversation about e-cigarettes. She
explains that teens today are often very conscious of mental,
physical and environmental health, three things that vaping could
potentially endanger! In her work, she’s found that teens tend to
stay away from these devices when they become more educated and
aware of what they really do. 





She also recommends pointing out the way companies are marketing
vapes directly to teens, as they typically don’t like being
manipulated! When kids realize that these billion dollar
corporations are attempting to take advantage of them, they start
to realize they’re better off prioritizing their health over
looking cool or keeping up with trends. In the episode, Jamie and
I extend our conversation into discussing marijuana vapor
products, and why these haven’t quite caught on the way that
nicotine vapes have.





In the Episode.,..


Talking with Jamie was incredibly informative and thought
provoking! Her wealth of knowledge surrounding e-cigarettes and
the vaping industry is remarkably valuable to any parent looking
for answers about how these devices are affectin...