As many of us know, vaping and e-cigarette use has become incredibly popular among teens and young adults, especially because it’s seen as a “healthy” alternative to smoking cigarettes. While very little studies have been done about the long-term health effects of vaping and e-cigarette use, we are starting to see some negative short-term effects such as lung illness and other complications. Health officials are reporting an outbreak of serious vaping-related lung disease, and the number of vaping-related deaths are rising. Experts recommend no vaping or e-cigarette use while these illnesses are being investigated.
Most parents aren’t really up-to-date on vaping, including what vapes or e-cigarettes even look like, let alone how it physically affects their teens or young adults. BRITE has been sharing our Vaping Prevention Presentation for the past year, and it is only growing in popularity as communities learn the importance of vaping prevention and awareness. (You can find our presentation here, and we encourage you to read and share it.)
Ventura County Behavioral Health and Ventura County Public Health have teamed together to create a new informational website to address the vaping epidemic. Vaping Fact Check is an excellent resource for parents and families to learn the effects of vaping, what vape devices look like and how they work, how these products are marketed to teens, and signs that your child may be vaping. Check out some of the information below.
Many teens are using pocket-size vape devices or e-cigarettes at home or school. Vaping produces an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor. The vapes are often odorless and quickly heat to dispense nicotine, flavored liquids or high-potency THC (cannabis or marijuana).
TEENS ARE THE TARGET
A Stanford study found that vaping ads have been widely promoted on the social media platforms teens use, and spread via #hashtags and paid social media influencers.
Source: “JUUL Advertising Over its First Three Years on the Market,” Stanford University School of Medicine
VAPING IN OUR SCHOOLS
- 7th graders: 1 in 10 say they have vaped
- ?9th graders: 1 in 5
- 11th graders: Nearly 1 in 3
Source: Ventura County California Healthy Kids Survey, 2017-18
SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY BE VAPING
- Sweet odors
- Decreased sense of taste
- Cutting back on caffeine
- Finding unfamiliar USB drives, battery chargers or spare parts
- Red, irritated eyes
The website also features a News Section with information about the latest vaping illnesses, local Ventura County community forums and events related to vaping prevention, health alerts, and how our government is responding. This is an excellent resource for anyone who is looking to learn more about the vaping epidemic, and what is going on in Ventura County to educate and prevent folks from vaping.
- FOR HELP TO STOP VAPING, CALL: 805-201-STOP
- FOR HELP WITH MARIJUANA, CALL: Ventura County Access Line 1-844-385-9200
- LEARN MORE ABOUT MARIJUANA & VAPING, VISIT: www.MJFactCheck.org