There are continued concerns about vaping and e-cigarette use by youth. One in five Wisconsin high schoolers use e-cigarettes, according to the Youth Tobacco Survey 2018. Yet many teens have misconceptions that lead them to believe that vaping is harmless.
New devices are constantly coming out, they mimic USB drives, pens and pods, but don’t be fooled by the unassuming shapes. The “juice” used in these products often contains nicotine yet it is marketed in fruity or appealing flavors. Some e-cigarettes may contain as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. Just like tobacco, health professionals are beginning to see health concerns come out of e-cigarette use. Here are few resources on e-cigarettes and tips on how to talk to your teen about them:
- Surgeon General’s website on e-cigarettes
- Tip sheet - Talk with Your Teen About e-cigarettes
- National Institute on Drug Abuse fact sheet
- FDA “The Real Cost” Campaign on the Dangers of e-cigarettes
- Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit
Contact your school nurse for further resources about the dangers e-cigarettes or if your child wants help to quit using these products.