For many of these teens, vaping is a way to self-medicate. Cell phones and social media while enabling us to “connect” with hundreds of virtual friends has paradoxically led to greater depression, anxiety, isolation and loneliness. This technology, combined with the ongoing decline of the nuclear family, and the typical pressures associated with adolescence, has led to a mental health crisis among our youth unlike any other

Talking to your teens about vaping

The message that all adults – especially parents – need to get across to our youth:
“Don’t Smoke. Period. There is no way to smoke safe.”

The health risks of nicotine and other chemicals found in e-cigarettes are being actively investigated and it appears that several of these substances may be harmful to the lungs. Many individuals who have vaped have developed serious lung conditions and several individuals have died. One of the additional problems is the purchase of these products from street vendors - as the cartridges may have been tampered with and illicit substances (for example, marijuana) may have been injected into the cartridge. The federal government, several state governments, and the CDC are in the process of developing recommendations for the limitations of sales and availability of these products.

-from Sept 2019 issue Parent Talk- American College of Pediatricians