Dr. Teekema Dixon, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. She sees patients at the Kaiser Permanente South Baltimore County Medical Center.
Every week I talk with teenagers about their health. More often than not, those conversations involve vaping. What concerns me is that many teens believe vaping is harmless, or their risk of addiction is low. But as a board-certified pediatrician, I’ve seen how nicotine negatively affects brain development, mood, concentration, and overall well-being.
Common Misconceptions About Vaping
Easy access, social pressure, curiosity, and affordable prices are just a few of the reasons why teens become interested in trying vaping. While 8 out of 10 teens have never vaped, more teenagers are seeing their friends vape and are curious about it.
Most teens are aware of the harmful chemicals and ingredients, but many do not fully understand how addictive nicotine can be. These products are designed to deliver nicotine in a way that makes the brain crave repeated use.
Addiction often develops gradually. What starts as an occasional social activity can quickly become a regular habit.
Many believe vaping is safer than smoking traditional cigarettes. Teens look at vape packaging and see bright colors and wild flavors while the nicotine warning is small and easy to overlook.
Marketing can make vaping appear harmless and socially acceptable, but the truth is there are potential health risks associated with these products.
The Health Effects of Vaping
Vaping can negatively influence concentration and focus, making simple tasks and schoolwork more difficult to manage. Nicotine affects the pre-frontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for judgment, decision-making, and impulse control.
Teens who use nicotine also have an increased risk for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
Vaping may have negative physical effects on lung function, making exercise and sports participation more challenging.
The chemicals in these vapes are not always consistently regulated, including the amount of nicotine they contain. Because vaping products haven’t been around as long as tobacco products, researchers are still studying the long-term health effects.
Apart from nicotine, when people vape they are inhaling the same heavy metals and chemicals found in paints, gasoline, and cleaning products.
What we do know is that some of the harmful effects of vaping may be reversible after someone quits vaping, but recovery may take longer depending on how frequently and how long an individual has been vaping.
Signs Your Teen Might Be Vaping
Vapes are small, and are easy to shove in a pocket, under a pillow, or place somewhere that’s hard to find.
Parents will often start to question whether their teen has been vaping when they observe mood shifts. While no single sign confirms vaping, there are several indicators that may warrant a conversation.
- Sudden changes in behavior, often irritability
- A decline in grades, especially if grades were previously strong
- Increased forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
- Noticeable mood swings that seem outside of your teen’s usual behavior
- Sudden and frequent throat clearing and coughing
- An increase in secretive behaviors, such as locking doors, hiding items, or becoming unusually defensive
Note that these signs do not necessarily mean your teen is vaping. There can be other social, emotional, or developmental factors that play a role in these behaviors.
These signs can be an opportunity to open a conversation with your teen. If you continue to have concerns and feel your child isn’t being honest, consider checking their book bag or their room.
Talking to Your Teen About Vaping
The way you approach the conversation can have a significant impact on whether your teen will talk openly.
Rather than leading with accusations, I recommend approaching the conversation with curiosity. The goal is to create a calm, nonjudgmental environment that can encourage more honest communication.
Ask questions about what they have been exposed to. Do they have friends who vape? Do they feel social pressure? Use these questions to help guide the discussion.
The face-to-face intensity of these conversations is tough for teens, which can unintentionally escalate their emotions. Bringing up vaping in a car ride is a good way to talk side-by-side and reduce tension.
How Parents and Schools Can Work Together
Preventing teen vaping requires support from families and schools.
Parents should stay involved in their teen’s digital life and supervise their social media. Monitoring online activity and maintaining open communication can help parents identify potential concerns early. If you come across content that looks suspicious, start a conversation with them instead of immediately imposing consequences.
Schools also play a pivotal role. Comprehensive vaping education should be incorporated into the health program to increase awareness and help students understand the short-term and long-term impacts of nicotine use.
For teens who have already started vaping and are struggling to quit, support is available. The Truth Initiative offers an anonymous text message program called This is Quitting, where teens can receive free support over text to quit vaping. Having access to free, non-judgmental support can go a long way in helping teens put down the vape.
Vaping is marketed to be harmless, but nicotine can have drastic effects on a teen’s brain, mental health, and well-being. The bright side is that parents can make a meaningful difference. By being supportive, understanding the facts, and recognizing potential warning signs, you can help your teen make healthier choices.
At Kaiser Permanente, we have resources such as health educators who can provide coaching, education, and guidance for teens working to overcome nicotine addiction. If your child is already vaping, remember that support is available. Quitting is possible, and the earlier your teen gets help, the better.
Feature image, aleksandr_yu/stock.adobe.com
