Teens and Vaping: What’s the Latest Trend

Vape detectors are installed at many US schools due to the increase in vaping amongst teenagers. The US Centers for Disease Control stated that E-cigarettes are not safe for teens as they may cause severe lung damage. In 2019, there was a national outbreak of e-cigarette product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), which led to the hospitalization of 2807 patients, 15% of which were 18 or younger. One teenage vaper needed dual lung transplants. Roughly 3.6 million middle school and high school students use E-cigarettes - are they unaware of the harmful health, disciplinary, and emotional repercussions from vaping? Do parents feel disappointment if they are notified from schools that their children have been caught vaping? Are vaping companies like Juul, who sells 75% of vaping products, marketing their E-cigarettes by concealing the health risks? JUUL is being sued by many states and school districts for misleading advertising. States have already banned JUUL’s sales of vaping products with fruity names. The recent COVID-19 pandemic prompted numerous teenagers to quit vaping as the coronavirus spreads by droplets, including saliva. Due to the higher risk of severe lung damage with the coronavirus and vaping, are more teenagers seeking cessation treatment? Although the Affordable Care Act provides coverage for temporary addiction treatment medication and family counseling, teenagers should be aware that it is not a magic solution for everything. Some teenagers hide vaping pens as medical treatment may cause a significant surcharge on annual insurance premiums.