Vaping, which is said to be safer than cigarettes, is actually not that safe.
Because, the danger of vaping is still there both for teenagers and adults. This is proven by the increasing number of cases of vaping in teenagers which have an impact on health. In fact, a child was only discovered to be addicted to vaping after experiencing shortness of breath due to damaged lungs and went into a coma.
Find out what the dangers of vaping are for teenagers and the policy on vaping among Indonesian children.
12 year old child in coma due to vape addiction
Last September, Sarah Griffin (12), who was addicted to vaping, collapsed and fell into a coma.
This girl from Belfast, Northern Ireland started trying to vape secretly from her parents when she was 9 years old. What’s worse, Sarah can vape up to 4000 puffs in just a few days, from morning to night.
Even though her parents found out, unfortunately Sarah continued this bad habit until she was 12 years old. In fact, Sarah has a history of asthma.
As a result of his addiction to vape, he experienced severe shortness of breath, collapsed and was in a coma for four days.
From the results of the examination, Sarah had an infection which made it difficult for her to breathe. Even after his condition recovered, one of his lungs was declared permanently damaged and he could only rely on the other lung which was still functioning.
This is certainly worrying, because vaping increases smoking habits from an early age.
NHS Digital shows 30% of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used e-cigarettes.
Indonesian Health Ministry also regretted the use of e-cigarettes such as vapes, which are increasingly popular among teenagers.
The results of the 2021 Global Adult Tobacco Survey show that people consuming e-cigarettes increased from 0.3% to 3%. Meanwhile, the number of teenage smokers aged 13-15 years also increased by 19.2%.
The dangers of vaping for teenagers’ health
The large number of teenagers who now use vape is not without reason. The attractive packaging and shape, as well as the variety of flavors, make them curious to try it until they are addicted.
Apart from that, vapes are also easy to buy at quite affordable prices.
The belief that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes has also made many people switch or even start trying vaping. In fact, vaping and cigarettes are equally dangerous.
In children and teenagers, the impact of vaping can result in stunted brain development in children. Normally, the brain continues to develop until a person is 25 years old.
The connections between these brain cells will become stronger as a person learns or creates new memories.
Considering that addiction is also a form of the body adapting or learning, children who are exposed to nicotine are at a higher risk of developing addiction compared to adults.
Apart from that, the aerosols in inhaled and exhaled vapes both contain dangerous substances.
Such as nicotine, ultra-fine particles such as air pollution that can be inhaled into the lungs, volatile organic compounds, cancer-causing chemicals, and heavy metals.
Launch American Lung Associationin a University of North Carolina study, found two main vape ingredients such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin to be toxic to body cells.
The following are the possible dangers of vaping for teenagers’ health:
- Increases the risk of addiction
- Triggers coughing, wheezing and asthma
- Causes lung disease and cardiovascular disease
- Damages brain development
- Causes anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders
- Makes it more difficult for someone to focus in the learning process
- Change mood
- Unable to control emotions
- Fluid poisoning/liquid which is used for vaping
Sarah Griffin also advised teenagers not to try vaping. “Once you try to start, you will find it difficult to stop,” said Sarah as quoted by Daily Mail.
Give children the understanding that vape contains nicotine and dangerous substances. Don’t try it as it could lead to addiction and serious health problems in the future.
