Vaping, Juuling, e-cigarettes, and other electronic delivery systems were initially developed to be a safer alternative to smoking in adults. Unfortunately, over the last few years, there has been a sudden surge in use in people under age 18. Estimates are that between 20% and 80% of high school students have tried E-cigarettes or use them at any given time. Nicotine in any form, including Vaping, is harmful for Brain Development, and is Illegal for children under 18.
E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs. The liquid in each individual JUUL pod can contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Some pods were marketed as “nicotine free” still contain nicotine and “chemical flavors”. All Vaping products contain harmful chemicals, such as oils, formaldehyde, and acrolein (highly poisonous substance like the ant poison formaldehyde).
E-cigarettes have also been recently associated with Deaths and Lung Injury in teens, young and middle-aged adults. According to the CDC website, around 2800 cases of Vaping Lung Injury (popcorn lung), have been discovered, along with 68 deaths. There is no known cause for these lung injuries and deaths, other than the harmful chemicals in the e-cigarettes. Symptoms of lung injury are sudden onset of cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain, that is not caused by a virus, bacteria, or heart condition. If you or your teenager have any unexplained symptoms of lung injury, are addicted to JUULing or nicotine in any form, please schedule an appointment with a health-care provider to review your concerns.