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Vaping has become increasingly popular over the past decade and is a public health problem among youth. Although cigarette smoking among teens has decreased, the rates of vaping have nearly tripled over the past five years [1].
Although some teens may hold the perception that vaping is harmless compared to cigarettes, there are several ways vaping can negatively impact the mental and physical health of teens, such as increasing the risk of addiction, lung damage, and organ damage.
Read on to understand the dangers of vaping on teen health, how to recognize warning signs, and strategies to talk with your teen about vaping.
Understand the Statistics: Youth and Vaping
According to research from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, over 2 million US teens reported vaping, and over a quarter of them reported vaping every day. Vaping tends to be more popular among older teens, with around 1.3 million high school students (ages 14-18) reporting use compared to only 400,000 middle school students (ages 12-14) reporting use [2].
Vaping is a highly addictive habit, and it’s difficult for teens to stop use without the intervention and support of parents or adults. According to the CDC, almost 70% of youth who currently vape report having tried to quit in the past year [1].
Common warning signs of vaping in teens include:
- Finding vapes, empty boxes, or cartridges in their room
- Chronic cough
- Smelling minty, fruity, or sweet scents on their breath
- Getting out of breath easily
Why Do Teens Vape?
Teens begin vaping for a number of reasons. Some are influenced by peers, perhaps trying a friend’s vape or doing it in social situations. Others may vape to cope with stress or anxiety, which can provide short-term relief but, over time, actually increase mental health problems like stress, anxiety, and depression [3].
Some teens are at a naturally higher risk of vaping if they struggle with an “oral fixation”. This is known as the desire or need to always have something in your mouth. Examples of this often include vaping or smoking, chewing gum, or nail biting.
There is little current research to understand what causes oral fixations, but some theorize it could be due to stress. Others point to older research on Freud’s psychosexual development theory, that oral fixations are caused by not receiving enough stimuli (such as feeding) as a baby.
What Are The Dangers of Vaping?
Current research is growing to understand precisely how vaping affects the body, and for teens in particular, the risks are evident.
Addiction
Nicotine is the main chemical found in vapes, and it is also what makes cigarettes so addictive. Nicotine hijacks the pleasure and reward systems of the brain, creating a feeling of pleasure and starting the cycle of addiction. It also lowers the perception of pain, with some using it to relieve physical feelings of stress or discomfort [4].
Stunted Brain Development
Nicotine exposure during development can alter specific receptors (glutamate and acetylcholine) in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is one of the last brain regions to mature, and it manages essential cognitive functions such as memory, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Teens who smoke have been found to have changes in these cognitive functions and a decline in attention performance [4].
Lung Conditions
Vaping is linked to several severe lung problems. First, it can increase the risk of developing asthma or worsen symptoms of asthma in a teen who is already diagnosed. Diacetyl is a chemical used in certain vape flavorings and can cause bronchiolitis (also known as “popcorn lung”). This can cause life-threatening respiratory effects and permanently scar the lungs.
According to the American Lung Association, EVALI is a condition that stands for “e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury.” It was recently discovered in 2019 and is still being researched. EVALI can be fatal and causes widespread damage to the lungs. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain [6].
Organ Damage
Besides the lungs, vaping can also impact other major organs, such as the heart, brain, and kidneys. Some studies have linked excessive nicotine use to increased blood pressure and narrowing of the arteries [5].
How to Talk With Your Teen About Vaping
Educating your teen with the facts and resources about how vaping can impact their health can help lower the risk of them vaping in the first place or encourage them to quit.
Some ways to talk with your teen about vaping include:
- Provide them with the facts, without using scare tactics. Explain to them the research about how vaping can impact both their physical and mental health. Some resources to get you started include:
- Ask them open-ended questions about vaping to learn what they already know about it and their perspective.
- Explain to them that vaping is just as harmful as using cigarettes. Many teens believe that vaping is a “healthier” or “harmless” method of nicotine/tobacco use.
- Remind them that buying and using vapes under the age of 21 is illegal in the US.
- Help your teen swap out vaping with chewing gum, eating an apple, or even sucking on sugar-free lollipops or mints.
- Encourage them to participate in sports, arts, music, or other extracurricular activities.
- Set rules around vaping and substance abuse and enforce consequences.
- Have your teen calculate the cost of what they are spending on vapes in a month and set different goals with their spending money.
- Help your teen practice healthy ways to reduce stress and anxiety. This may include deep breathing, gratitude journaling, yoga, listening to music, dance, or meditation.
Teen Nicotine Treatment Available in Texas
At Clearfork Academy, our team of licensed mental health professionals understands the complex nature of how substance abuse can stunt teenage development. We offer comprehensive treatments to help teens end their nicotine habits and build positive coping skills that increase their successful long-term recovery.
Contact our admissions team today to see how we can support your teen.
Sources
[1] E-cigarette use among youth. 2024. CDC.
[2] Results from the National Annual Tobacco Youth Survey. 2024. FDA.
[3] Depression & anxiety symptoms linked to vaping nicotine and THC in teens and young adults. 2023. Newsroom.
[4] Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Nicotine Exposure during Adolescence for Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Network Function. 2012. National Library of Medicine.
[5] Vaping and E-Cigarettes. 2022. Cleveland Clinic. [6] E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). American Lung Association.
Alumni Relations Manager
Mike grew up on a dairy farm in Parker County, Texas. At the age of 59, he went back to college and graduated 41 years after his first graduation from Weatherford College. God placed on his heart at that time the passion to begin to help others as they walked from addictions, alcoholism, and abuse of substances. He is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and in the past few years he has worn many hats, from intake and assessment, group counseling, individual and family counseling, intensive outpatient and now he is working with clients, therapist, and families on discharge planning and aftercare. He also coordinates our Alumni Outreach Program.
