Are Your Kids Hiding a 'Vaping' Habit?

The use of E-cigarettes among teens has put millions of young people on a path to addiction, and the Food & Drug Administration recently took action against retailers and manufacturers for their role in the crisis.

The FDA issued fines and sent warning letters to pharmacies, groceries and convenience stores that are illegally selling e-cigarettes to minors. It also gives manufacturers 60 days to show they have stopped marketing their products to young people or they could face criminal prosecution.

E-cigarettes are battery-charged devices that convert liquid nicotine into mist or vapor that the user inhales. They were designed for adults to help wean them from cigarettes, but sleek designs and flavored products (cotton candy, bubblegum, peppermint and green apple) have instead encouraged excessive use among middle schoolers and high school students.

Many kids refer to their habit as “vaping” or “Juul-ing” (JUUL Labs controls about 70% of the market). And they don’t think of it in the same way as smoking cigarettes. Some of the most popular e-cigs look like USB flash drives and use small flavor cartridges. They are easy to hide from teachers and parents, and even easier to purchase. When teens get turned away at the checkout counter, they simply buy their e-cigs online.

“The flavors draw them in and the nicotine keeps them hooked,” said Dr. Vincent Nguyen. “It’s really important for parents to find out if their kids are using e-cigarettes. Nicotine addiction can harm brain development and studies show that kids who ‘vape’ are more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes. After all we’ve done to reduce teen smoking, we don’t want to raise another generation of smokers with serious health problems.”