Kids shouldn’t be using e-cigarettes

Public health warnings about what we put into our bodies are nothing new in America. When you check out the news in print publications, on the internet or on TV, it seems you often hear about a study that has determined some type of food, beverage, medication or other substance is harmful to your health.

One product that’s been the focus of such reports in recent years is e-cigarettes. For every study or survey that finds something unhealthy about ecigarettes, you’ll find a manufacturer or advocate of these devices saying that they’re beneficial.

It’s interesting to note that even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made this statement on its website: “E-cigarettes are still fairly new, and scientists are still learning about their long-term health effects.”

So in some ways, the jury is still out, as the old saying goes. But one thing we strongly believe is that a collaborative effort is needed to prevent children in the United States from using e-cigarettes. Our opinion was reinforced after reading a recent NewsHerald story highlighting the steps that area school districts are taking to fight back against students engaged in vaping — the practice of inhaling and exhaling vapor produced by electronic cigarettes.

Area superintendents talked about their districts’ efforts to prevent vaping and educate students about the dangers of e-cigarettes. But another section of the article that captured our attention showed the growing number of teens who vape regularly.

In fact, 3.62 million middleand high-school students in the United States were estimated as e-cigarette users in 2018, according to a study cited by the Food and Drug Administration.

Then there’s a separate 2018 national survey conducted by University of Michigan researchers, showing that reported vaping of nicotine almost doubled among high school seniors from 11 percent in 2017 to 20.9 percent in 2018. In addition, more than 1 in 10 eighth-graders (10.9 percent) say they vaped nicotine in 2018, according to the survey.

Although e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic chemicals than smoke from regular cigarettes, we are resolute in our stance that vaping is not acceptable for children.

First, there’s a legal issue. The Ohio Revised Code prohibits children under 18 years old from possessing, using, purchasing or receiving cigarettes or other tobacco or alternative products. While children in Ohio and nationwide have found ways to obtain ecigarettes, just like previous generations ended up being able to secure traditional cigarettes, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s illegal.

But a matter of greater concern is that vaping is simply not healthy for children.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, the addictive drug found in regular cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated. In addition, the CDC reported that some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Using nicotine in adolescence can harm parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control, the CDC stated. A person’s brain keeps developing until they’re about 25.

“Vape pens/Juuls deliver very high levels of nicotine; they’re extremely addictive,” said Kim Fraser, executive director of the Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board. “Plus, vaping liquids contain other toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease.”

In addition, Doug Rohde, supervisor of chemistry and toxicology for the Lake County Crime Laboratory, told Fraser one of the trends the Crime Lab is seeing involves counterfeit vape pen cartridges that contain dangerous substances.

“Doug told me that area law enforcement has confiscated cartridges containing substances like hallucinogens,” Fraser said. “That’s of concern because it means that vapers — especially kids who may share vape pens — might not know what they’re ingesting. And studies show that most kids who vape believe that it does no harm, so they’re likely to just blindly trust that what they’re using won’t cause any issues.”

We applaud area school districts and health officials for taking steps to educate students, through health classes and advisories, about the risks of vaping. Hopefully parents and other adults can start conversations with children about vaping and convincing them not to pick up the habit. It’s the least we all can do to inspire our children to live healthy lives.