By now you’ve likely heard of vaping, juuling and e-cigarettes and have probably even seen the advertisements targeted towards teens cautioning of the dangers of these activities. Even with these warnings and the continuous reports of the dangers of vaping and juuling on the rise, the popularity of these devices is increasing.
According to the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey in 2018, 25% of Florida high school students reported using electronic vaping, which was a 58% increase from 2017. The number of young users of e-cigarettes is staggering and with the reports of major health problems risings, the issue of teens vaping and juuling is more critical than ever.
Major Health Problems Linked to Teens Vaping and Juuling
According to the CDC, as of August of this year, it is investigating close to 200 cases of severe respiratory illness related to vaping and e-cigarette use across 22 states. Though Florida is not currently on that list of states, that does not mean that our children and teens are immune and safe from the dangers of vaping. In fact, a college student in Florida recently posted on Instagram that he required surgery after his lung collapsed due to his Juul habit over the past year.
In another recent story, a college athlete, who was studying at FAU, became seriously ill after his vaping habit caused him to contract adenovirus, a major respiratory condition, as well as pneumonia. Just two months after starting his college career at FAU, the student-athlete became addicted to Juul pods. A year later, he was suffering from seriously respiratory illnesses. He spent five months in an ICU and now risks losing one of his lungs.
Serious health conditions that can be linked to the abuse of vaping, juuling and e-cigarettes include:
- Seizures
- Severe migraines
- Shortness of breath
- Respiratory illnesses and conditions
- Difficulty exercising
- Anxiety and depression
Although some of these conditions may not seem serious at first, they can turn into life-threatening situations very quickly if the body has been weakened by the effects of chemicals and nicotine found in e-cigarettes.
Talk to Your Teens About the Risks of Vaping, Juuling, and E-cigarettes
Many parents and their children may not understand the danger they are in when they choose to use e-cigarettes. Despite what their peers may say, vaping devices such as flavored Juul pods do contain nicotine and dangerous chemicals in the liquid. When using the devices, individuals are putting themselves at risk of a serious nicotine addiction in addition to health complications that can arise from ingesting nicotine and harmful chemicals.
Your children are never too young to hear about the risks involved in vaping, as they are likely exposed to the devices through their peers at younger and younger ages. It’s important to have serious conversations about how vaping liquids do contain highly addictive substances such as nicotine, and how they can become dependent on a “fix.” This dependence can lead to serious health conditions including hospitalization and death. The time to prevent an e-cigarette addiction is before it even starts.
Potential signs of a Vaping, Juuling, and E-cigarette Addiction
Parents should also be aware of the signs that their child may have an e-cigarette addiction. These signs may include:
- The child frequently going outside or disappearing for periods of time during family gatherings
- Smelling a sweet odor on their clothes
- Complaints of being thirsty
- Unexplained anxiety or irritability
Take some time today to speak to your child about these risks and dangers and stay alert.
At Panter, Panter, and Sampedro, we care about the health and safety of our community. We are dedicated to protecting Florida’s families. If you are the victim of injuries caused by the negligence of a product manufacturer or reseller, contact us at 305-662-6178 for a complimentary consultation.
References:
Goodman, C. K. (2019, August 31). Vaping triggers health issues for Florida teens. Retrieved from https://sun-sentinel.com/health/fl-ne-teen-vaping-health-20190831-drcptoaxanfrddpdjfj3s65kkm-story.html
O’Kane, C. (2019, August 29). College athlete hospitalized for 5 months, could lose lung after vaping, dad says. Retrieved from https://cbsnews.com/news/vaping-lung-disease-20-year-old-college-athlete-hospitalized-for-four-months-after-vaping-juul-pneumonia-florida/
CBS News. (2019, August 29). What parents need to know about their kids vaping. Retrieved from https://cbsnews.com/news/what-parents-need-to-know-about-their-kids-vaping-cbs-news/
