essays on vaping

How bad is vaping and should it be banned?

Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), Curtin University

PhD Candidate (Psychiatry) & Research Assistant, University of Newcastle

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Nicole Lee works as a consultant in the health sector and a psychologist in private practice. She has previously received funding by Australian and state governments, NHMRC and other bodies for evaluation and research into alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment.

Brigid Clancy is an Associate at 360Edge, a drug and alcohol consultancy company.

University of Newcastle and Curtin University provide funding as members of The Conversation AU.

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Vaping regularly makes headlines, with some campaigning to make e-cigarettes more available to help smokers quit, while others are keen to see vaping products banned, citing dangers, especially for teens.

So just how dangerous is it? We have undertaken an evidence check of vaping research . This included more than 100 sources on tobacco harm reduction, vaping prevalence and health effects, and what other countries are doing in response. Here’s what we found.

How does vaping compare to smoking?

Smoking is harmful. It’s the leading preventable cause of death in Australia. It causes 13% of all deaths , including from lung, mouth, throat and bladder cancer, emphysema, heart attack and stroke, to name just a few. People who smoke regularly and don’t quit lose about ten years of life compared with non-smokers.

Nicotine, a mild stimulant, is the active ingredient in both cigarettes and nicotine vaping products. It’s addictive but isn’t the cause of cancer or the other diseases related to smoking.

Ideally, people wouldn’t be addicted to nicotine, but having a safe supply without the deadly chemicals, for instance by using nicotine patches or gum, is safer than smoking. Making these other sources available is known as “harm reduction”.

Vaping is not risk-free, but several detailed reviews of the evidence plus a consensus of experts have all estimated it’s at least 95% safer to vape nicotine than to smoke tobacco. The risk of cancer from vaping, for example, has been estimated at less than 1%.

These reviews looked at the known dangerous chemicals in cigarettes, and found there were very few and in very small quantities in nicotine vapes. So the argument that we won’t see major health effects for a few more decades is causing more alarm than is necessary.

Is ‘everyone’ vaping these days?

Some are concerned about the use of vaping products by teens, but currently available statistics show very few teens vape regularly. Depending on the study, between 9.6% and 32% of 14-17-year-olds have tried vaping at some point in their lives.

But less than 2% of 14-17-year-olds say they have used vapes in the past year. This number doubled between 2016 and 2019, but is still much lower than the rates of teen smoking (3.2%) and teen alcohol use (32%).

It’s the same pattern we see with drugs other than alcohol: a proportion of people try them but only a very small proportion of those go on to use regularly or for a long time. Nearly 60% of people who try vaping only use once or twice .

Smoking rates in Australia have declined from 24% in 1991 to 11% in 2019 because we have introduced a number of very successful measures such as restricting sales and where people can smoke, putting up prices, introducing plain packaging, and improving education and access to treatment programs.

But it’s getting harder to encourage the remaining smokers to quit with the methods that have worked in the past. Those still smoking tend to be older , more socially disadvantaged , or have mental health problems.

Read more: My teen's vaping. What should I say? 3 expert tips on how to approach 'the talk'

Should we ban vapes?

So we have a bit of a dilemma. Vaping is much safer than smoking, so it would be helpful for adults to have access to it as an alternative to cigarettes. That means we need to make them more available and accessible.

But ideally we don’t want teens who don’t already smoke to start regular vaping. This has led some to call for a “ crackdown ” on vaping.

But we know from a long history of drug prohibition - like alcohol prohibition in the 1920s - that banning or restricting vaping could actually do more harm than good.

Banning drugs doesn’t stop people using them - more than 43% of Australians have tried an illicit drug at least once. And it has very little impact on the availability of drugs.

But prohibition does have a number of unintended consequences, including driving drugs underground and creating a black market or increasing harms as people switch to other drugs, which are often more dangerous.

The black market makes drugs more dangerous because there is no way to control quality. And it makes it easier, not harder, for teens to access them, because there are no restrictions on who can sell or buy them.

Read more: Learning about the health risks of vaping can encourage young vapers to rethink their habit

Are our current laws working?

In 2021, Australia made it illegal to possess and use nicotine vaping products without a prescription. We are the only country in the world to take this path.

The problem is even after more than a year of this law, only 8.6% of people vaping nicotine have a prescription, meaning more than 90% buy them illegally.

Anecdotal reports even suggest an increase in popularity of vaping among teens since these laws were introduced. At best, they are not helping.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the way to reduce the black market is to make quality-controlled vapes and liquids more widely available, but restricted to adults. If people could access vaping products legally they wouldn’t buy them on the black market and the black market would decline.

We also know from many studies on drug education in schools that when kids get accurate, non-sensationalised information about drugs they tend to make healthier decisions. Sensationalised information can have the opposite effect and increase interest in drugs . So better education in schools and for parents and teachers is also needed, so they know how to talk to kids about vaping and what to do if they know someone is vaping.

What have other countries done?

Other countries allow vapes to be legally sold without a prescription, but impose strict quality controls and do not allow the sale of products to people under a minimum age. This is similar to our regulation of cigarettes and alcohol.

The United Kingdom has minimum standards on manufacturing, as well as restrictions on purchase age and where people can vape.

Aotearoa New Zealand introduced a unique plan to reduce smoking rates by imposing a lifetime ban on buying cigarettes. Anyone born after January 1 2009 will never be able to buy cigarettes, so the minimum age you can legally smoke keeps increasing. At the same time, NZ increased access to vaping products under strict regulations on manufacture, purchase and use.

As of late last year, all US states require sellers to have a retail licence, and sales to people under 21 are banned. There are also restrictions on where people can vape.

A recent study modelled the impact of increasing access to nicotine vaping products in Australia. It found it’s likely there would be significant public health benefits by relaxing the current restrictive policies and increasing access to nicotine vaping products for adults.

The question is not whether we should discourage teens from using vaping products or whether we should allow wider accessibility to vaping products for adults as an alternative to smoking. The answer to both those questions is yes.

The key question is how do we do both effectively without one policy jeopardising the outcomes of the other?

If we took a pragmatic harm-reduction approach, as other countries have done, we could use our very successful model of regulation of tobacco products as a template to achieve both outcomes.

Read more: It's safest to avoid e-cigarettes altogether – unless vaping is helping you quit smoking

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The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has recently risen to the forefront of medical discussions across the country. A significant increase in e-cigarette use by adolescents has been observed over the last decade. This article discusses the targeting of adolescents by e-cigarette companies. It looks at how teenagers are uniquely affected by nicotine and at risk for progressing to using combustible cigarettes and marijuana. Lastly, it discusses the role of physicians in combating the spread of e-cigarettes.

Introduction

Every medical student is taught the three basic questions to ask for social history. “Do you drink any alcohol? Do you do any drugs? Do you smoke cigarettes?” While these are three very important questions to help us address potential health hazards with patients, they fail to identify some of the most significant factors in the lives of adolescent patients. Specifically, vaping in adolescents poses a grave risk to patients’ health and is a topic that physicians have to confront.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a decrease in the number of teenagers smoking combustible cigarettes. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey demonstrated a decrease in the number of teens trying combustible cigarettes from 70% in 1991 down to 58.4% in 2003 and even further down to 28.9% in 2017. 1 The decrease is largely a response to exhaustive work done by physicians, advocacy groups and lawmakers. Physicians have worked diligently to improve education on the dangers of smoking and fought to pass new regulations to protect patients. The United States is seeing an explosive rise of adolescents’ vaping and the renormalization of smoking ( Table 1 ). Recent national surveys demonstrate a drastic increase in e-cigarette use among high schoolers. An article from the New England Journal of Medicine reported a 10% increase in adolescents using e-cigarettes between 2017 and 2018 alone, which is approximately 1.3 million teenagers. 2

The rise of adolescents’ vaping and the renormalization of smoking.

Source: Cullen KA, Ambrose BK, Gentzke AS, Apelberg BJ, Jamal A, King BA. Notes from the Field: Use of Electronic Cigarettes and Any Tobacco Products Among Middle and High School Students – United States, 2011–2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1276–1277

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that use an electric pulse to heat and aerosolize a flavored liquid that typically contains nicotine. They were first introduced to the U.S. in 2007, and they were advertised by the tobacco companies as an adjunct method to help patients quit smoking. This claim never had evidence to support it, as studies comparing the use of electronic cigarettes, placebos, and nicotine patches demonstrated no significant differences in abstinence rates. 3 But because e-cigarettes were seen as a treatment option, they were not subjected to the same regulations as combustible cigarettes. It wasn’t until 2016 that the Congress passed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, giving the FDA the authority to regulate e-cigarette packaging. 1

Advertising Directed to Teens

Advertising for e-cigarettes has been heavily aimed at adolescents. Everything from the billboards to the packaging to the product itself has been aimed at teens. Ads on social media were widely distributed. From 2014 to 2016, advertising for vaping exploded and one study found that 78% of middle and high school students had been exposed to at least one advertisement. 1 Pods come in fun packaging and the different pods are flavored to be attractive to adolescents, with everything from mint to gummi bear to frosted sugar cookie. This is especially concerning because studies have shown that flavor is one of the most important factors adolescents consider in trying e-cigarettes. 4 The devices to aerosolize the pods are designed to look like anything from USBs to pens to inhalers. They can be personalized much like a cell phone case and backpacks have special pockets for the mod devices.

Health Risks for Adolescents

This targeted marketing of e-cigarettes is particularly harmful given the significant health risks these products pose to teens. Many people know that nicotine causes lots of problems for the developing brain. However, it is not widely recognized that many e-cigarettes contain higher concentrations of nicotine than combustible cigarettes. JUUL is the most common e-cigarette brand used in the U.S.; it is so popular that teens use JUULing as a verb. 1 JUUL pods contain 5%, or 59mg/ml, of nicotine. 5 This is approximately equal to the nicotine contained in 20 combustible cigarettes. 6 To make this more concerning, one study demonstrated that 39% of adolescents did not consider JUULs to be e-cigarettes at all. 6 Another survey suggested that 63% of adolescents did not know that JUUL pods contained nicotine at all. 7

Many studies, primarily based on the use of combustible cigarettes, have demonstrated the adverse health effects of nicotine. Adolescent brains are still developing, and nicotine exposure has been linked with cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and executive function. Electronic cigarettes have been connected with increased impulsivity, with one animal study demonstrating that exposure to e-cigarette vapor during times of rapid brain growth (like during adolescence) can cause hyperactivity and impulsive behavior changes. 4 Another study looking specifically at the teen population found increased risks of physical fighting, attempted suicide, and alcohol/marijuana use when comparing non-users to teens who smoked or vaped. 8

Nicotine Addiction in Teens

There has also been evidence that suggests e-cigarette use increases an individual’s chance of using combustible cigarettes. Adolescents who use e-cigarettes are 3.6 times more likely to report using combustible cigarettes later in life. 9 Teens have also been shown to be more susceptible to addiction. We know that nicotine addiction often originates in adolescence with studies showing that close to 90% of adult daily smokers started before the age of 18. 10 Thus, e-cigarettes are effectively helping to create a new generation addicted to nicotine.

Gateway to Marijuana Use

Many vaping devices can also be used to inhale cannabinoids. One study demonstrated that teens who use nicotine liquid in e-cigarettes were 3.6 to 4 times more likely to use marijuana in the next two years. 1 Another study demonstrated that 1 in 10 seniors in high school vape cannabis. 6 This should be extremely distressing to physicians and medical providers because it is known that marijuana is extremely harmful to the development of the adolescent brain and studies have actually shown changes in brain structure. As a result, deficits in attention, learning, and memory associated with cannabis use in adolescents has been reported. 11 One study demonstrated that high schoolers who use marijuana were four times more likely to have multiple sexual partners when compared to students who only use tobacco or alcohol. 12 A sizable portion of adolescents who use marijuana report symptoms of paranoia, anxiety and hallucinations. 13 . Adverse effects from marijuana use, including cannabis hyperemesis syndrome have become common among pediatric patients. 14

Flavors and Additives

Beyond the nicotine, the flavoring chemicals and additives present their own danger. Currently there are no federal laws to ensure that the labels on e-cigarettes are accurate. Until August 2018 they did not even have to include the nicotine concentration on labels. Testing has demonstrated different carcinogens in e-cigarettes including aldehydes, metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 6 One recent study looking at the different additives found that that vapes containing cinnamaldehyde for cinnamon flavor were associated with impaired mucociliary function in bronchial epithelial cells. Biopsies from chronic vapers demonstrate structural changes in lung tissue. 1

Physicians caring for adolescent patients are quickly realizing the health hazards associated with vaping and are looking for ways to combat the epidemic. First and foremost is education for both the teen and their parents. Teens obtain most of their knowledge on e-cigarettes from social media and their peers. One in three adolescents in the U.S. still consider electronic cigarettes to be less harmful than traditional combustible cigarettes. 4 It is imperative that teens are given accurate information on e-cigarettes.

Unfortunately, parents often face the same challenges in finding resources for vaping education as their children. They rely on schools to educate both the parent and their child on e-cigarettes, yet studies have shown that most parents receive little communication from their school on the topic. 15 This is an area where physicians can help fill the knowledge gap. One study found that while parents understood that nicotine exposure is detrimental for teens, most did not know that JUUL pods contain nicotine. Less than half of the middle school and high school parents could identify a JUUL mod in a picture. 15 Most parents were concerned about the use of e-cigarettes in teens but only two in five were concerned about use in their own child. 15 Parents who do not feel that their children are at risk are less likely to talk to their children about the risks associated with vaping. It is imperative that physicians encourage parents to discuss vaping with their teens and provide tools to facilitate that discussion.

The other way physicians can help address vaping in adolescents is by participating in advocacy at a local, state or national level. Currently in the state of Missouri, e-cigarettes are not included in the definition of “Tobacco Products” and thus are not subject to the same restrictions as combustible cigarettes. The sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18 years of age is prohibited, just as with tobacco. But the only regulation in place for e-cigarette packaging is that the liquid must be in child-resistant containers. The American Academy of Pediatrics is currently advocating for Missouri to include e-cigarettes in smoke-free laws and to increase the minimum age to purchase electronic cigarettes to 21 years. 16 Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians have both released position papers on vaping and offer further ways to join the fight. It is time for physicians to ask their adolescent patients about vaping and to provide education to the child and parents on the dangers of vaping. Physicians have the responsibility to be advocates for their patients working with medical organizations, state and local governments to address the adolescent vaping epidemic.

Kristen Jones, DO, (left ), is a Pediatrics Resident in Internal Medicine; Gary A. Salzman, MD, (right), MSMA member since 2007, is Professor of Medicine; University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri.

Contact: ude.ckmu@gnamzlas

None reported.

Teen Vaping: The New Wave of Nicotine Addiction Essay

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Over the years, the utilization of vaping products has dramatically increased, particularly among youth. With at least 12 deaths and close to 1,000 sickened, vaping, the enormously fashionable alternative for consuming nicotine or perhaps flavorful substances, has unexpectedly been riskier than predicted (Dinardo & Rome, 2019). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 2 million young people smoked e-cigarettes in 2021 (Dinardo & Rome, 2019).

It might have a significant effect if state officials asked the region’s health authority to ban all flavored vape goods in reaction to this issue to safeguard the youth’s well-being (Domenico et al., 2021). A state does have other options in addition to that. The best way to overcome this difficulty is for nations to incorporate free science-based application innovations. While enforcing an immediate ban benefits many parents, incorporating an app is preferable since it immediately communicates with the youth by showing them the negative impacts and ultimately nullifies any possibility of teenagers smoking.

Banning commodities, especially which bring some preconceived pleasures increases the demand for those who want them instead of cutting them. It is correct that banning vapes will have a slight effect as parents will majorly appreciate it, but it would only make the youth go to more extraordinary lengths seeking the vapes, hence imposing a threat more. This solution would work in the short term and involve many state officers and laws to force the action.

Alternatively, using scientifically constructed applications that are freely accessible in any state would have a significant positive effect as it directly communicates with youth. Showcasing the adverse effects of vaping and providing statistical facts in the form of notifications on youth’s phones will, by a majority, cut vape users as they are spoken to intellectually and emotionally. On the other hand, this would work over the long term, which is more profitable for the future generation and the nation’s government.

Therefore, incorporating a scientifically created application solution is the best overall solution and should be integrated into states where vaping is prone. A significant drop will be evident as soon as the government spreads awareness of the new freely accessible application. As many people work now not for themselves but the betterment of future generations, this solution would pose the best course of action in entirely eradicating vaping for the youth soon, with no possibility of newly developing again.

Dinardo, P., & Rome, E. S. (2019). Vaping: The new wave of Nicotine Addiction . Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 86 (12), 789–798. Web.

Domenico, L., DeRemer, C. E., Nichols, K. L., Campbell, C., Moreau, J. R., Childs, G. S., & Merlo, L. J. (2021). Combatting the epidemic of e-cigarette use and vaping among students and transitional-age youth. Current Psychopharmacology, 10 (1), 5–16. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 22). Teen Vaping: The New Wave of Nicotine Addiction. https://ivypanda.com/essays/teen-vaping-the-new-wave-of-nicotine-addiction/

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Essay on Vaping

Students are often asked to write an essay on Vaping in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Vaping

Introduction.

Vaping is a modern trend where people inhale vapor from e-cigarettes. These devices heat a liquid into vapor, which users then inhale.

Popularity of Vaping

Vaping has become popular, especially among teenagers. It’s often seen as a safer alternative to traditional smoking.

Vaping and Health

However, vaping can still harm health. It can lead to lung damage and addiction, as e-cigarettes often contain nicotine.

While vaping is popular and often seen as less harmful than smoking, it’s important to know it can still pose health risks.

250 Words Essay on Vaping

The emergence of vaping.

Vaping, the act of inhaling vapor produced by electronic cigarettes or similar devices, has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional smoking. These devices, often marketed as safer alternatives to cigarettes, have gained significant traction, especially among younger demographics.

Perceived Benefits and Risks

The perceived benefits of vaping include reduced exposure to harmful chemicals compared to traditional smoking and potential assistance in smoking cessation. However, these benefits are contested. The long-term health impacts are still largely unknown, and there’s evidence suggesting that vaping may serve as a gateway to traditional smoking for young people.

Regulation and Public Health

The regulation of vaping products is a contentious issue. Some advocate for stricter regulations to prevent youth access, while others argue for more lenient policies to promote harm reduction among adult smokers. Public health officials grapple with these complexities, striving to balance harm reduction, prevention of youth initiation, and the potential risks of unknown long-term health effects.

Future Implications

The future of vaping is uncertain, with scientific research and policy debates ongoing. It’s clear, however, that the conversation surrounding vaping is a microcosm of larger public health discussions about harm reduction, individual freedom, and the role of regulation in protecting public health. As such, the discourse on vaping serves as an important case study for students of public health, policy, and ethics.

500 Words Essay on Vaping

Vaping, a contemporary phenomenon, has rapidly gained popularity, particularly among young adults and adolescents. It involves inhaling vapor created by an electronic cigarette or other vaping devices. The trend has sparked significant debate due to its potential health implications, societal impact, and its role in nicotine addiction.

Understanding Vaping and Its Appeal

Health implications of vaping.

The health effects of vaping are a significant concern. While e-cigarettes are often marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes, research suggests that they are not without risks. The aerosol users inhale and exhale from e-cigarettes can expose both themselves and bystanders to harmful substances, including heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful ingredients.

Furthermore, nicotine, a primary ingredient in most e-cigarettes, is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. Long-term health effects of vaping remain uncertain due to its relatively recent emergence, but early research indicates potential risks to respiratory and cardiovascular health.

The Societal Impact of Vaping

Beyond individual health risks, vaping has broader societal implications. The rise in vaping, particularly among youth, has been declared an epidemic by public health officials. Schools are struggling to manage the surge in e-cigarette use, and families are grappling with the implications of nicotine addiction.

Moreover, there is a concern that vaping serves as a gateway to traditional smoking, particularly among young people. While some argue that e-cigarettes can aid in smoking cessation, others contend that they may encourage nicotine addiction and transition to more harmful tobacco products.

Regulatory Challenges and Future Directions

Regulating vaping poses significant challenges. The rapid evolution of vaping devices, the variety of substances they can deliver, and their widespread accessibility and appeal to youth make regulatory efforts complex.

In conclusion, while vaping is often perceived as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, it is not without risks. The potential health implications, coupled with its societal impact and regulatory challenges, make it a complex and critical public health issue. As such, it is essential for ongoing research, public discourse, and effective policy measures to address this contemporary phenomenon.

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The Hidden Dangers of Vaping: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

Understanding vaping's risks and the need for stricter regulations and support..

Updated June 28, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• What Is Vaping?
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• Vaping, though marketed as safer, poses significant health risks, including lung issues.
• The vaping market is rapidly growing, driven by young adults and aggressive marketing.
• Stricter regulations and public health campaigns are crucial to combat vaping addiction.

Vaping is a popular alternative to traditional smoking, it has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. In 2023, the global vaping market was valued at approximately $28.17 billion and will reach an estimated $182.84 billion by 2030​ ( Grand View Research )​​​. The user perception is that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking offering a variety of flavours and devices. However, the increasing popularity of vaping brings negative impacts that warrant closer examination.

Causes of Vaping Addiction

Some factors have contributed to the rise of vaping addiction . Vaping products are widely available in physical retail stores, making them easily accessible. The ease of purchasing online, competitive pricing, and a wide variety of vaping products have led to purchases through online channels. Predator-style marketing strategies, especially targeting younger users, play a significant role. Visual packaging, and a wide variety of flavours, make vaping appealing to teenagers and young adults.

There is a misconception vaping is a safer alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. This misconception is reinforced by advertising campaigns that highlight the absence of harmful substances found in cigarettes.

Negative Impacts of Vaping

Vaping has far-reaching effects on both individuals and public health systems. It is becoming evident that vaping carries significant health risks. It can result in respiratory issues and cardiovascular problems The health effects are not fully understood. Consumer safety reports are highlighting devices causing injuries, such as explosions and defective batteries, creating potential harm

Personality Types and Target Markets

The target market for vaping products focuses on teenagers and young adults, in the age range of 16 to 24. This age range is attracted by the variety of flavours, the perceived safety, and the social image associated with vaping. Research highlights that users who are impulsive and experience-seeking are more likely to try vaping. The sad fact is that many smokers turn to vaping as a method to quit smoking . However, they often end up becoming dual users, A trend has been the rise in e-cigarette use has been driven by smokers looking for a less harmful cost-effective alternative.​ ( Grand View Research ).

Solutions and Treatment

Public policy must holistically address the vaping addiction. Implementing stricter regulations on the sale and marketing of vaping products is vital. This includes limiting flavours, age verification, and clear labeling of nicotine content. Many governments worldwide are considering or trying to implement such regulations to stem the rise in vaping among young people​ ( P&S Intelligence ). Public health campaigns are educating both youths and adults about the risks of vaping. Schools and local governments are important in the ongoing education task of the health risks and the highly addictive nature of nicotine to deter existing and new users.

Public health support services include nicotine replacement therapies, counseling, and support groups. The good news is that there is a variety of individual treatment programs to help individuals overcome their nicotine vaping addiction.

A great example of government action in the public health space is the Australian Federal Government which released a range of educational videos tools and fact sheets targeting the 14-24 vaping demographic in June,

To tackle the continuing growth of the vaping market it is necessary to increase government regulation and education of the vulnerable users of vaping products. Developing effective education campaigns requires an understanding of who the target audience is and what their pains and gains are in trying to quit. By focusing on these issues comprehensively, we can protect public health and reduce the growth of vaping addiction.

Nigel R. Bairstow, Ph.D. , is a researcher and academic at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

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Persuasive Essay on Vaping and E-cigarettes Should Be Banned

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance which is as hard to give up as heroin.  2.06 million teens are using nicotine on a daily basis across America. Nicotine is commonly used in vaping and e-cigarettes, and the dosage is either lower or the same as in cigarettes and tobacco products.Some believe vapes lead to drug addictions, while others say they do nothing wrong and have no effect. Vaping and E-cigarettes should be banned. Vaping is unbenefictial to a person’s health and rather targets their packaging towards young children and gives them a higher risk of developing a nicotine addiction. 

The number of kids who vape is increasing, addicting new generations to nicotine and cigarettes, and introducing them to smoking. The percentage of kids who vape has gone up throughout the years, For example, "As of 2020, 19.6% of high school students used e-cigarettes, the most-used tobacco product among the age group, followed by cigars (5%)" (ProCon 1). 19.6% of high school students rely on nicotine. The nicotine in the vapes is the same as the one in cigarettes that can lead to them turning to cigarettes. Many of the students can get their friends addicted to nicotine as well, increasing the number of students who use e-cigarettes. The site also mentions that "One JUULpod contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes, both of which last for about 200 puffs" (ProCon 1). Vaping can be just as bad and addictive as cigarettes. It may take longer to use the whole vape rather than a pack of cigarettes, but it's still the same amount of nicotine consumed. It is not a healthier option if it's not as different as cigarettes.   Matthew Myers, who campaigns against tobacco, stated, "Like cigarette companies, e-cigarette makers claim they don’t market to kids. But they’re using the same themes and tactics tobacco companies have long used to market regular cigarettes to kids (Exploring Issues 1). E-cigarettes and vape companies tend to rely on the same marketing used to get kids into cigarettes. They use the same techniques as tobacco companies that try to get kids to buy their products. They use a confident and good looking person to say vaping is cool and desirable. Vaping attracts many new people into smoking and opens many opportunities for health issues. 

Nicotine can lead to many problems regarding health.  Nicotine is a very addictive substance and can damage a person's body. One way it can affect a person is "Nicotine used by young people may increase the risk of addiction to other drugs and impair prefrontal brain development, which can lead to ADD and disrupt impulse control"(ProCon 1).  Nicotine can cause cravings and cause impulsive behavior if a person becomes addicted. Nicotine can lead to more drugs and can cause brain damage to a person.  Brain damage can lead to disorders like ADD. Not only does it lead to brain disorders, but also long-term diseases and strokes. The article states, "People who use e-cigarettes have a 71% increased risk of stroke and a 40% higher risk of heart disease, as compared to nonusers" (ProCon 1). People who use e-cigarettes or vapes have a higher chance of having a stroke or heart disease, which could kill them. The chemicals in the products can expose a person to life-long struggles because of a stroke. Heart disease is a long-term disease that can result from vaping and is the leading cause of death in America. A main contributor to these injuries and illnesses is the chemicals inside the vape. An example of what the chemicals can do is "Some ingredients in the liquids used in e-cigarettes change composition when they are heated, leading to inhalation of harmful compounds such as formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic" (ProCon 1). The liquids can change when heated, changing the compounds in the liquid. The liquid compounds could become dangerous and turn into chemicals like formaldehyde, which can lead to irritations all over the body and sometimes even cancer. Some health conditions and problems can cause problems for the rest of a person's life, but some argue it helps people with smoking.

E-cigarettes help people stop smoking. Studies have been done many times on this topic. One study states, "A July 2019 study found that cigarette smokers who picked up vaping were 67% more likely to quit smoking" (ProCon 1). That may be true, but people can still face health issues and still ingest an equal amount of nicotine found in a pack of cigarettes. Vapes can be safer than cigarettes because of the fact that they use vapor, not smoke. The website says, "However, most scientists agree that ESDs are much less harmful to health than tobacco cigarettes" (Exploring Issues). Vapes can be much safer than tobacco with items inside, but they can also expose a person to the same health problems as tobacco. Vaping can even heat up and change the liquid compound inside of it, creating formaldehyde, which can lead to cancer and irritations. The heat in the vapes can burn holes in the lungs as well, just like cigarettes. 

Vaping can cause many problems regarding health and contributes to attracting more children to turn to vaping. Vapes can be marketed the same as cigarettes and can be just as harmful. Vaping can lead to a gateway of health issues like strokes, heart attacks, ADD, nausea, and more. The liquid in the vapes can create dangerous compounds when heated up and can burn holes into the lungs.  It may be different than smoking and a healthier option, but the risks are still present.

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The Risks of Vaping

A Look at Safety

You’ve probably heard a lot about vaping lately. You might also know about the recent outbreak of lung injuries and deaths linked to vaping in the U.S. But those aren’t the only risks that come with vaping. Here’s what you need to know.

Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-hookahs among other terms, come in many shapes and sizes. Some look like traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Others are shaped like every-day objects, such as pens or USB memory sticks.

While they may look different, most vaping devices work in a similar way. Puffing activates a battery-powered heating device. This heats the liquid in a cartridge, turning it into vapors that are inhaled.

Vaping exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals. These may include the main active chemicals in tobacco (nicotine) or marijuana (THC), flavorants, and other ingredients that are added to vaping liquids. Plus, other chemicals can be produced during the vaporizing process.

“If the liquid has nicotine in it, then the user is inhaling nicotine along with the other ingredients in the liquid,” explains Dr. Thomas Eissenberg, an expert on tobacco research at Virginia Commonwealth University.

While vaping devices work similarly, some are more powerful than others. They create more vapor and deliver more chemicals.

So how safe is vaping? Studies suggest nicotine vaping may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. But nicotine vaping could still damage your health.

“Your lungs aren’t meant to deal with the constant challenge of non-air that people are putting into them—sometimes as many as 200 puffs a day—day after day, week after week, year after year,” Eissenberg says.

“You’re inhaling propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorants that were meant to be eaten but not inhaled, and nicotine,” he explains. “And all of those are heated up in this little reactor, which is an e-cigarette. When they get heated up, those components can turn into other potentially dangerous chemicals.”

One harmful chemical may be a thickening agent called Vitamin E acetate, which is sometimes used as an additive in THC-containing vape products. The CDC identified it as a “chemical of concern” among people with vaping-associated lung injuries. They recommend avoiding any vaping product containing Vitamin E acetate or THC, particularly those from informal sources like friends, family, or in-person or online dealers.

Vaping is now more popular among teens than smoking traditional cigarettes. One in four high school seniors say they vaped nicotine in the past month. And studies have found that teens who vape nicotine may be more likely to go on to smoke traditional cigarettes.

Marijuana vaping has also increased dramatically among teens. About 20% of high school seniors vaped marijuana in the past year. The rates have more than doubled in the past two years.

New laws are aimed at curbing vaping among teens. People must now be 21 to buy any tobacco product, including vaping products. And companies can no longer produce and sell flavors that appeal to children like fruit and mint.

If you’ve already started vaping or smoking cigarettes, it’s never too late to quit. See the Wise Choices box for tips on stopping.

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Letters to the Editor: Everyone has role in protecting youth from vaping, nicotine addiction

Vaping harms developing youth brains, can lead to addiction.

In the United States, youth use e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, more than any other tobacco product. These brightly colored vapes are available in a wide variety of flavors to attract youth, such as candy and mint. Most vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, as well as other harmful chemicals that may cause cancer or lung disease. Youth brains are still in the process of developing, making them even more susceptible to nicotine addiction.

The number of students vaping in our schools continues to increase, and the issue is impacting our ability to properly educate them. Rather than focusing on studying and coursework, students are vaping and facing discipline as a result of vaping. Social influences are also a major factor in youths’ decision to start vaping. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the reason most middle- and high-school students try e-cigarettes is due to a friend. Not only are these products addictive, but they are also much easier to hide than cigarettes, which makes them an easy choice for youth to use at home and at school.

So, what can we do? Everyone has a role in protecting youth from vaping. Parents can set an example for youth by leading a tobacco-free lifestyle and providing a tobacco-free home. Have a conversation with your child about vaping and why it is harmful to them. During the conversation be patient and listen, avoid criticism, and answer their questions. As educators, we can discuss the dangers of vaping with students, work to implement prevention programs, and enforce tobacco-free school policies. Our schools can also aid in the development of other ways of managing anxiety and stress, as well as social pressures. Health care providers can ask youth if they use tobacco products and if they do, refer them to treatment and educate them about the risks of vaping.

A great resource to assist youth with vaping is the "My Life, My Quit" program. This is a free tobacco and vaping cessation program available to youth under the age of 18 which offers tobacco cessation counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and text messaging. For more information, contact the Licking County Health Department .

Trevor Thomas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Heath City Schools

Too much at stake to let Trump return to Oval Office

Donald Trump was found guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying his company's business records to keep information from voters that he knew would harm his 2016 presidential campaign. Lying on official business filings is a serious criminal offense and another clear example of Trump’s pattern of doing anything to gain or stay in power. No one is above the law, and any other American would be punished if they committed the same crime.

Despite the guilty verdict, Trump is still very much running for president. If he is elected to a second term, our democracy would be in serious peril. Don’t just take my word for it: Trump has pledged to weaponize the Department of Justice to seek revenge against his political opponents, pardon himself and his allies for crimes they commit, and deploy the military against demonstrators exercising their First Amendment rights — all while purging the federal government of anyone who doesn’t agree with him.

There’s too much at stake to let Trump return to the Oval Office. It’s up to us to make sure we hold Trump accountable at the ballot box in November.

Justin Philipps, Newark

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Works Cited

• Garcia. “Updated: Dallas Has 17 Hospitalizations Linked to Vaping, County Health Official Reports.” Dallas News, Dallas News, 18 Sept. 2019, www.dallasnews.com/news/2019/09/16/updated-Dallas-has-17-hospitalizations-linked-to-vaping-county-health-official-reports/.
• Holland, Jeff, and Ashley Mesch. “Your View on Vaping.” 2 Oct. 2019.
• Logan, Josh, and Ashley Mesch. “Vaping Effects.” 7 Oct. 2019.

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Australia has become the first country in the world to restrict the sale and supply of e-cigarettes, apart from through pharmacies, after its vaping reforms bill passed in both houses of parliament. 1

The sale, supply, manufacture, importation, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic vapes will be prohibited from 1 July, health and aged care minister Mark Butler said.

During a three month introduction phase, people 18 years and older seeking a therapeutic vape can obtain a prescription from a medical practitioner to purchase a regulated e-cigarette from a pharmacy. From 1 October, adults will be able to buy regulated e-cigarettes from a pharmacy without a prescription.

People younger than 18 will always require a prescription.

Butler said the bill is part of the Australian …

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Vaping — Vaping Epidemic Among Teens

Vaping Epidemic Among Teens

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Published: Feb 13, 2024

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Hamas Skimmed $1 Billion in U.N. Aid for Weapons and Tunnels, Suit Says

About 100 Israelis sued the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, saying it pays local employees in dollars that buoy the terrorist group. But the case faces high legal hurdles.

By Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman

For years, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency sent millions of dollars each month to Gaza to pay employees and support hospitals, schools and other infrastructure, according to a new lawsuit. The money was wired from New York, where the agency has an office, to the West Bank, where financial institutions loaded some of that cash onto trucks to be driven across Israel to Gaza.

The suit, filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan, said some of those dollars ended up funding the military operations of Hamas, the Islamist group that has controlled Gaza for nearly 20 years and has pledged to erase the Jewish state. The money trail is at the heart of the case against seven current and former top UNRWA officials who are accused of knowing that Hamas siphoned off more than $1 billion from the agency to pay for, among other things, tunneling equipment and weapons that aided its attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

About 100 Israeli plaintiffs — including at least one who was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, others who survived the attack, as well as the estates of some who died — are seeking unspecified financial damages. They claim that UNRWA is liable because it helped fund Hamas, which the United States and other countries deem a terrorist organization.

UNRWA has been sued several times since the attacks , with some cases claiming that the agency has abetted Hamas and others attempting to cut off UNRWA’s funding. The case filed on Monday goes further, describing how the plaintiffs believe agency money ended up in the hands of Hamas and how the terrorists used its resources in the attack on Israel.

The suit says that in Gaza, unlike other places the agency operates, UNRWA pays its 13,000 local employees in U.S. dollars that must be changed into shekels, the Israeli currency that is used in Gaza, by Hamas-affiliated money-changers who take a cut for the organization.

The civil suit faces many hurdles, particularly the question of whether a treaty affords the U.N. officials immunity. But if the case proceeds, it could allow other victims of Hamas attacks to seek damages from the U.N. Even if it fails, the suit could pressure nations donating money to UNRWA to reassess their support.

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