Why is vaping creating more addicts at young ages than it is helping addicts quit smoking?
Vaping is as bad as smoking. This is because it is proven that it is addictive and there are very few positives. The reason it is creating addicts is because of social reasons and high nicotine levels. The more you vape, the more your brain and body get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When you go without vaping, the nicotine level in your bloodstream drops.
Tobacco smoking was originally invented in the 1500s and the modern e-cigarette was invented in 2003. The original idea of an e-cigarette was to help the people who wanted to give up smoking, this device aimed to have fewer people buying tobacco cigarettes, E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create a water vapor that the smoker inhales.
It is said that vaping is a better option than smoking tobacco but is still very harmful. The legal age to smoke a vape is 18 in new Zealand but these days more people under that age use these daily. 20,000 to 30,000 14 and 15-year-olds were using this device in 1999. In 2019 3.1% of year 10 students vaped daily while 37.3% have tried vaping, In 2014 20.8% was the estimated number in Newzealand which means it has increased. In New England, USA, 12% of 16 and 17-year-olds are addicted to nicotine.
Vaping nicotine through a vape is faster than getting it from a regular tobacco cigarette. Nicotine by itself is harmless, while the harm from cigarettes is in the smoke produced by burning tobacco, the residue of tar, which damages airways causing lung disease and cancer.
Some teenagers will get peer pressured into these types of things because if they see their friends doing it they’re more likely to be interested in what it is, some also choose to do it to look cool and impress others. 5.3 million is The estimated number of teens using e-cigarettes in the world. Teenagers are more attracted to the marketable technology because of the flavorings seen as in dessert and fruit flavors such as grape and strawberry etc.
In NZ my puff vape (which is disposable once empty) costs 9 dollars which can be purchased at any dairy. These are very affordable for teens who then just get their older mates to buy them. Teens are more likely to get addicted to vaping because of the high nicotine levels because teens are already more vulnerable to addiction because their brains are still developing.
2.5 million people have quit smoking completely by switching to electronic cigarettes, a lady I know has recently switched from smoking tobacco to vaping she smoked for 33-34 years she used patches but missed the hand to mouth movement then tried nicotine gum but it destroyed her teeth the same damage as grinding your teeth while sleeping she found vaping an easy option from gum and cigarettes with all the positives there were negatives as in she would fell ill at times with nausea, hot flushes, headaches, and ulcers these are very common complaints by many others.
In conclusion, teens are more vulnerable to vape/nicotine addiction then the main purpose of the device (giving up tobacco smoking), teens are most likely addicted and interested in this device because of social reasons and I believe it is a very big issue in the world and people should be more aware of this issue.