Vaping... What Are The Real Dangers?

Story by Kayla Adames. Photo courtesy of www.uknow.uky.edu

DEC. 18, 2019: What is vaping and why has it been in the news lately? According to the Washington Post, more than 1,000 people have fallen ill due to vaping.The youngest patient that the Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported suffering with symptoms was 13 years old. At least 26 people have died, according to federal and state authorities, the youngest being a 17-year-old boy from New York. This is a shocker to me and maybe even you. With more than 1,000 people getting seriously sick from vaping, this should by a big concern everywhere.

What is vaping? Well vaping is the “puff” you get from your e-cigarette. E-cigarettes have a deadly product called nicotine. Nicotine causes hiccups or belching, dizziness, an upset stomach, nausea and lung cancer. Now this is bad enough right? If you already think that was bad... now teenagers vape! 

At high schools around the world teenagers vape. More than 35% of high schoolers vape. One reason they do it? Flavors. With more than 7,000 flavors it’s easier to teenagers get addicted to vaping. Flavors like cotton candy, bubble gum, creme brûlée, fruit, cotton candy, coffee, and mint make vaping more appealing. There are also e-cigarette conventions, like the Electronic Cigarette Convention (ECC). With all this, there are more ways teenagers have access to e-cigarettes. However, it’s harder to find out about the risks of the e-cigarettes when purchasing them.  

Teenagers are also a group of people more likely to be negatively affected by nicotine. Why? Nicotine is highly addictive and the earlier you start, the earlier your lungs get derrated. What does this have to do with you? Well you might hear from your friends that vaping is “cool” but really it’s not! Not for your health at least. So next time you get a e-cigarettes check the health concerns for yourself and make the safer choice to avoid them. 

Kayla Adames is a 5th grade scholar at Friendship Woodridge International School.