71 - Vaping - What you should know

A lot of people think vaping is a harmless and safe alternative to smoking. Even worse, it’s being marketed to kids as a fun safe thing to do. Unfortunately, the vape oils and ingredients are unregulated, and we don’t even know what is in them. We do know that some of the substances like nicotine can have detrimental effects to young minds and bodies. It’s also very addictive.

Even worse, a large majority of kids are trying vaping with their friends or vaping on a regular basis without their parents or teachers even knowing about it. This episode is all about vaping. I’m going to talk about the risks, things we don’t really know, and what to look out for if you think that your kids are vaping. This is a new and dangerous territory that we all need to get educated about.  

Show Notes:

[03:56] Tom talks with a lot of kids in school. One of the most common things he sees is that everyone is vaping. [04:22] When asking how many students have tried vaping 95 out of 100 will raise their hand. [05:07] Kids are vaping everywhere. They are even using small devices like the JUUL and discretely blowing the smoke into their sleeves. [05:59] Talking about it more and raising awareness should help arm kids with the information they need to choose whether they want to do it or not. [06:17] About 10 or 12 years ago, vaping was used for smoking cessation. [06:56] The idea behind it was to produce something that would help people stop smoking. [07:40] Keep in mind, we are only ten or twelve years into the e-cigarette craze. At this point, we don't really know what the health repercussions are. [08:41] We are beginning to see some health repercussions to vaping. [09:06] Now people are bypassing cigarettes and going straight to vaping. [09:57] Unfortunately, vaping is marketed as some sort of great thing. When it's actually very similar to smoking cigarettes. We are also seeing young kids going straight to vaping. [10:21] Kids who vape have a 30% higher chance of developing a cigarette habit then kids who didn't start vaping. [11:05] The nicotine content in these oils are high. [11:51] Vape oils aren't regulated, and they don't even say what's in the product. [12:24] Nicotine is the most addictive substance on the face of the planet. [13:36] Flakka is also being put inside vape oils. [14:47] Sometimes Flakka can cause permanent damage, and there's nothing you can do about it. [15:24] Nicotine has an effect on the brain, and it slows the developmental side of the brain. [16:20] Casual vaping can build up a tolerance and turn into habitual vaping. Months down the line it's addictive like a pack of cigarettes would be. [17:34] Inhaling nicotine also has a biological effect. [17:39] Vaping in vegetable glycerin can create popcorn lung. [18:49] The JUUL looks like a USB drive. Parents won't even know kids are vaping. This is marketing for kids. [21:17] Kids talking about the products to their friends are the number one form of marketing. [23:06] This is promoting addiction to preteen boys and girls. [24:02] Saying it's okay to vape, and it's better than the alternative is what ties it in to addiction. [25:30] Talk to your kids about these things. You are the parent. Reach out and find resources and talk about the dangers, risks, and whys.

Links and Resources:

Real Recovery Talk on YouTube Flakka