No one wants to have their child suffer from the effects of smoking since it has adverse health effects. However, many parents believe that their children might not be protected from activities like cigarette smoking or vaping, even if they don’t do these things inside the home.
In fact, according to statistics, about 4.9 million American teens used these devices in 2018 alone, and this is just an increase from the previous number that is 1.5 million in under a year. These numbers are according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See more about teen vaping on this site here.
Facts to Know About
- The Kids are Still Doing It. Nowadays, in countries like the US, about 3200 teenagers smoke their first cigarettes. An addition of about 2,000 young adults is becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco.
- Smoking is Dangerous for Anyone’s Health. This is something that you might have probably heard a million times from the ads, but this is true. Smoking can actually harm health, according to surgeon generals. About 5.5 million Americans are dying below 18 because they suffer from lung problems and other smoke-related illnesses.
- The Smokers May Start Young. Some people who are not going to start trying vapes and cigarettes by the time they turn 26 are least likely to start. Others who have started at a young age may find quitting very difficult.
- It’s Not Just All Cigarettes. There’s juuling, hookah, vaping, tobacco, and cigars that affect many teenagers today. Others may want the dissolvable tobacco, chew, and snuff because they are easily accessible.
What are the Effects of Nicotine on Kids?
Nicotine is an addictive substance that affects the brain and body. It can have adverse effects on children, including addiction, diminished lung capacity, increased blood pressure and heart rate, damaged nerve endings, behavioral changes, and memory loss. It also increases their risk for developing other health conditions and lung cancer, which can lead to early death.
What are the Things that are Working?
Most tobacco companies are now targeting the younger ages with their sleek-looking gadgets and new e-cig designs. However, you may still want to detect vape smoke as a parent, especially if you suspect that your child is doing it. Sometimes, you may see some drastic changes in how they eat food, their overall health, or their behaviors.
You might find them hanging with peers who are all vaping, and you should consider approaching and talking to your children if this is the case. Other things that seem to be working are the following:
- Raising the Prices – Since most teens are not earning money for themselves, they tend to be more sensitive to price hikes. With the higher prices, it’s more than enough nowadays to dissuade the people who want to try out smoking.
- Access Restriction – There are advocacies around the globe about lowering the ages who can legally buy tobacco. The American Heart Association recommends setting at 21 for every state.
- Limit Marketing – Youth-focused marketing campaigns, regulatory initiatives, and other programs seem to get results. They help diminish smoking’s appeal to younger people in general.
- Conduct Huge Media Campaigns – The Truth Initiative and other educational resources are now helping many kids understand the dangers of tobacco. This is not just something that will make them look “cool,” but they will seriously have lung diseases when they get older. These are often supported by families and schools to drive the message across.
- Providing Affordable Programs – For those who want to quit but don’t know where to start, various affordable cessation programs help countless kids and parents change unhealthy behaviors. You might want to try them out.
Risks
The health risks of e-cigarettes and smoking are not fully understood, but studies have shown that they are damaging. The long-term effects on children’s health are also unknown but have been proven to be unsafe. A recent study in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research suggested that vaping is just as bad as smoking because both release toxic chemicals into the body, such as nicotine and formaldehyde.
There’s the presence of heavy metals like lead, tin, and nickel that can damage one’s health. The ultrafine particles, diacetyl flavorings, volatile organic compounds, and others are known to cause serious lung diseases that can be expensive to treat.
There are always risks when it comes to the brain, such as affecting the youth’s impulse control and decision-making faculties. These are not yet developed in adolescence, and they are at risk of long-lasting adverse effects of nicotine on the brain. Young people’s brains often build more robust and faster synapses, which is why they get more addicted easily than adults.
Studies show that e-cigs may be a medium to deliver other drugs like marijuana into the body when it comes to one’s behaviors. Get more info about this link on this site: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/substance-use/link-between-marijuana-and-e-cigarettes. They might result in more aggressive behaviors and impatience that are common in youth but much worse. Vaping is something that should be prevented rather than cured in the first place, and this can start with the parents at home.
It is crucial to protect kids from the dangers of vaping and smoking, but they are in a different place than adults. These activities are not always obvious, so it’s often difficult for parents to tell what their children are doing.
Some things to look for are when your child’s room smells like smoke, you begin detecting it through your system, and you notice some behavioral changes in them. These are just some of the factors that should put you into action and do something before it’s too late.
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