What parents should know about teen vaping health risks

COVID-19 affected many youth activities – hockey, dance lessons, and, to some degree, vaping. But there are concerns that as other recreations resume, so will the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).

Even with significant drops in 2020, 3.6 million youth remain regular users of e-cigarette products, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration. Put into perspective, that’s 20% of high school students and 5% of middle school students.

For a refresher on the dangers of e-cigarettes and what parents can do to keep vaping on the decline, we invited pediatrician Jessica Najarian-Bell to join us on the For Health’s Sake podcast. During the episodes she shares:

• The different types of vaping products
• The impact of nicotine on the adolescent brain
• How the fine particles in e-cigarettes cause long-term damage to the lungs
• How e-cigarettes can be a gateway to traditional tobacco products

Talk with your teen about vaping

“Maintain that communication with your child,” Dr. Najarian-Bell says. “Talk to them about the health harm … they may not know all the bad side-effects and outcomes from vaping.”

If you’re not sure what to say, your child’s doctor can support these conversations. And, if your kid needs support for a nicotine addiction, a pediatrician can help with that too.