The Vaping Viper

“I am officially declaring e-cigarette use [vaping] among youth an epidemic in the United States.”                             

 U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, December 18^th

“The numbers are startling. Eleven percent of high school seniors, 8 percent of 10th-graders, and 3.5 percent of eighth-graders reported vaping with nicotine in a one month period, according to a national survey released from the University of Michigan late [in 2017]. The worrying part? Young people think vaping is mostly harmless. 

“To understand vaping, it’s best to start on broad terms. To vape is to inhale vapor created from a liquid heated up inside a device. From there, things quickly get complicated. The devices have many names—vape pens, pod mods, tanks, electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS), e-hookahs and e-cigarettes. The liquid they contain also has many monikers—it might be called e-juice, e-liquid, cartridges, pods, or oil. Most vape liquids contain a combination of propylene glycol or glycerol—also called glycerin—as a base, and nicotine, marijuana, or flavoring chemicals to produce common or outlandish flavors, from mint to ‘unicorn puke.’ The devices rely on batteries to power heating elements made of various materials that aerosolize the liquid…

“Since e-cigarettes arrived in the U.S. in 2007, they have been investigated by addiction researchers as possible cessation devices for adults trying to quit combustible, or regular, cigarettes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists 93 harmful or potentially harmful chemicals found in regular cigarettes, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes cigarettes as having more than 7,000 chemicals in them. E-cigarettes contain fewer chemicals and so the industry has presented them as a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes. But vape liquids can still contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

“And on one point, Yale health researchers who study the health effects of vaping and e-cigs agree: Vape devices have not been proven to help adult smokers quit smoking. Moreover, vaping increases the risk a teen will smoke regular cigarettes later.” Yale Medicine, December 19th. 

Funny how the teenage years are the legendary period of rebellion, kids trying to define their own way, often distancing themselves from parents and other symbols of authority, believing “what do they know” and “[insert name of the horrible] cannot happen to me.” And to younger children, often latch-key or in some form of childcare as parent(s) is off to work, those teens can be role models, heroes. Throughout cinematic history, a dangling cigarette has been the mark of Mr or Ms Cool. To many, vaping has become that new cool.

“These teens may be overlooking (or underestimating) a key ingredient in the vapors they inhale: nicotine. Though it’s possible to buy liquid or pod refills without nicotine, the truth is you have to look much harder to find them. Teens may not realize that nicotine is deeply addictive. What’s more, studies show that young people who vape are far likelier to move on to cigarettes, which cause cancer and other diseases.

“So, why is nicotine so addictive for teens? … Nicotine can spell trouble at any life stage, but it is particularly dangerous before the brain is fully developed, which happens around age 25… ‘Adolescents don’t think they will get addicted to nicotine, but when they do want to stop, they find it’s very difficult,’ says Yale neuroscientist Marina Picciotto, PhD, who has studied the basic science behind nicotine addiction for decades. A key reason for this is that ‘the adolescent brain is more sensitive to rewards,’ she explains. 

“The reward system, called the mesolimbic dopamine system, is one of the more primitive parts of the brain. It developed as a positive reinforcement for behavior we need to survive, like eating. Because the mechanism is so engrained in the brain, it is especially hard to resist. 

“When a teen inhales vapor laced with nicotine, the drug is quickly absorbed through the blood vessels lining the lungs. It reaches the brain in about 10 seconds. There, nicotine particles fit lock-and-key into a type of acetylcholine receptor located on neurons (nerve cells) throughout the brain.   

“‘Nicotine, alcohol, heroin, or any drug of abuse works by hijacking the brain’s reward system,’ says Yale researcher Nii Addy, PhD, who specializes in the neurobiology of addiction. The reward system wasn’t meant for drugs—it evolved to interact with natural neurotransmitters already present in the body, like acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter is used to activate muscles in our body. The reason nicotine fits into a receptor meant for acetylcholine is because the two have very similar shapes, biochemically speaking, Addy explains.” Yale Medicine, March 19th. 

We see stories of FDA labeling mandates, cleaning up the marketing for such toxic materials, putting the same age-buying limits on vaping devices and refills. Kids find a way. Most of us understand the risks and the dangers. The problem is that once a young body has been exposed to the drugs inherent in vaping, the damage just may be irreversible. Some minor, some lingering, some unknown and some yet to develop. That teens might scoff at longer-term effects… because they are perceived to be “so far off”… doesn’t help. Parents need to take a firm hand when they discover vaping… and well-before such addictive practices start, lay down and enforce rules and expectations. Explain risks and take a proactive role. 

              I’m Peter Dekom, and there are so many new risks to growing up in this day and age that adding vaping is colossally absurd.