Skip to main content

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

6 awful side effects that vaping might have on your teen

Vaping is becoming more and more prominent among young people who seem to be unaware of the real dangers these e-cigarettes pose to their health. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 high schoolers are vaping, which means a large number of teens are being exposed to nicotine even though they aren’t smoking cigarettes. While many believe that vaping isn’t as detrimental to your health as cigarettes, vaping is still dangerous.

If you suspect your teen may be vaping or simply want to educate your child on the dangers of e-cigarettes before there is a temptation to start, you’ll want to show them these six awful side effects that vaping might have on them. Education is key for teens in helping them make educated choices, so it’s important they know the dangers that vaping and e-cigarettes pose to their physical and mental health.

teen-vaping-side-effects2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is vaping?

Vaping is inhaling the vapor created by an electronic cigarette. When e-cigarettes were first introduced, they seemed to be marketed as a smoking cessation device meant to help adults who were trying to quit smoking, but they quickly found an audience amongst younger adults and teens. Approximately nine percent of e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Now, e-cigarettes seem to be marketed towards younger people with a variety of flavors and designs that are appealing to younger audiences despite manufacturers vehemently denying that they’re trying to appeal to a younger demographic.

“The teens are after innovation and they’re attracted by sleek design and ease of use,” Sarper Taskiran, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Mind Institute, said when explaining why teens are so drawn to vaping. “They look like an Apple product.”

Lung damage is a real risk

Vaping can cause lung irritation similar to that of traditional cigarette smokers and people with lung disease. It can cause damage to immune system cells, as well as cause circulatory problems by increasing heart rate and blood pressure. In 2019 there was an outbreak of a vaping-related illness that resulted in lung injury in the United States, prompting the CDC to warn against the use of some e-cigarettes.

What are five negative effects of vaping?

In addition to causing potential lung damage or irritation, vaping can also cause five other negative side effects for teens. USA Today notes that nicotine-induced changes in the brain could lead to poor performance in school; weight loss can be a result of nicotine suppressing their appetite; they may suffer from nausea or vomiting as the body responds to nicotine in their system, as well as mouth sores and coughing as vaping inflames the cells of the mouth and oral tissue. Reports of seizures, as well as other neurological symptoms after vaping, have also been recorded.

teen-vaping-side-effects1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What are three health effects of vaping?

Thoracic surgeon Osita Onugha, MD, explained to SingleCare why vaping is so dangerous for teens. “Vaping is terrible in general and even worse for a teenager,” Dr. Onugha stated. “As the body is growing and maturing, vaping introduces irritants in the lungs that can stay in the lung for decades.”

EVALI is a respiratory illness that has been associated with vaping. “EVALI causes lung injury-producing pneumonia, respiratory failure, and chronic lung disease,” Joi Lucas, MD, explained. “Diacetyl, a chemical found in flavorings popular in electronic cigarettes, is a known cause of bronchiolitis obliterans, irreversible scarring and restriction of the lung.” Dr. Lucas also explains how high doses of nicotine can affect a teen’s mood. “Nicotine in e-cigarettes impacts areas of the brain that control mood, impulse control, learning, and attention.”

Is it bad to vape every day?

Due to the addictiveness of nicotine, the more a teen vapes, the greater the risk to their health. According to Child Mind, nicotine addiction makes it harder for teens to focus and concentrate, which could hurt their school and extracurricular activities. JUUL, a popular brand of e-cigarettes, especially among the teen demographic, uses nicotine salts in their product which allows for higher levels of nicotine. “All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes,” writes the CDC. Studies also show that kids who vape are almost four times more likely to begin smoking cigarettes than kids who don’t vape.

Parents need to have open conversations with their teens about vaping and the dangers it presents to their health. If your teen is already vaping and struggling to quit, understand that this is a real addiction so you may want to speak to your family doctor to get advice on how to best help your child stop.

Editors' Recommendations

Kelli Catana
Contributor
Kelli is a freelance writer who has covered the world of entertainment, pop culture, parenting, and lifestyle for various…
Are you feeling your baby’s movement in your lower abdomen? Here’s what might be happening
Don't worry if your baby is kicking your lower abdomen
Pregnant mom holding belly

There is nothing quite as exciting as this major pregnancy milestone. Feeling your baby’s first fluttering movements, which will happen at some point during the second trimester, is nothing short of awe-inducing. As you go into your final trimester, in addition to those kicks you might also feel more formidable pressure in your growing belly.

Pregnancy brings forth a lot of questions including why you are feeling pressure in your lower abdomen. This may feel odd, but rest assured, there are plenty of logical reasons for this and you shouldn't panic over feeling the baby's movement in your lower abdomen.
Why am I feeling my baby's movement in my lower abdomen?
Up until this point in your pregnancy, there’s been a lot of room for kicking and even somersaults in your belly. At this stage, your baby is discovering their arms and legs and experimenting with moving them. The movement is similar to play or exploration exhibited by newborns and very young babies when they move their limbs freely to see what happens. In this case, the level and location of the baby's "kicking" varies, and at times, it feels like it’s located lower in your belly.

Read more
Why your teen should get a summer job right now
Benefits of summer jobs for teens and some employment ideas
Newspaper advertising summer jobs for teens

Summertime is right around the corner. It won't take long before your teenager is bored, moody, unmotivated, and dare we say, a tad bit lazy. On the other side of the coin, perhaps your teen is the too-cool-for-summer type who wants to socialize all day, every day, heading to the mall, beach, pool, or with friends until it's curfew time.

Certainly, the summer is your adolescent's chance to relax, recharge, and enjoy some time off after a challenging school year. Summer doesn't mean teens are exempt from all responsibility, though. Spring is the ideal time to encourage your teen to start looking for a summer job.

Read more
Is period underwear right for your tween or teen?
Find out more about period panties for pre-teens and teenagers and if they're game changers
Teen trying on period underwear

Getting your period for the first time as a tween or teen can be a big source of anxiety for girls. Suddenly, your little girl needs to start thinking about how to manage her cycle in and out of school and during her extracurricular activities.

Before, girls only had two options: traditional pads and tampons. Today, there's another one: period underwear. Period panties have been around since 2015 when

Read more