The smoking alternative backfired, and adolescents are more vulnerable than ever.
By: Sreya 11.3
A drawing made of two vapes.
‘Smoking is injurious to health.’ We have heard this sentence everywhere throughout the past few decades, as the public began to realise the horrific reality of damage and destruction caused by smoking addictions. And so, e-cigarettes were introduced, a device initially intended to decrease smoking habits by providing a less dangerous alternative, whilst satiating cravings. Both Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist who commercialised e-cigarettes and Herbert A. Gilbert, who originally produced the first e-cigarette resembling the modern ones, are generally credited for the creation of this device. Vaping culture now has deviated from the original purpose, becoming its own route to addiction. Vapes are the next product in the evolution of nicotine use, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent amongst the youth generation.
It is not surprising to find both teenagers and adults vaping, whether it be online or in a public place. According to my sources, vapes are highly common and accessible to the current generation. This could be because of action from law enforcement lacking in force and reach. In some countries like the UK and USA, vaping devices are especially obtainable due to the legal restrictions in place (or lack thereof). A source from the UK stated, “I remember [..] going past them, and all the little bottles would be lined up with all the colours, and it was almost like an old-fashioned sweet shop, where you’d have them in jars all in the window.”
Marketing techniques hold a substantial portion of responsibility for the rise in vaping. The devices themselves are manufactured to be visually appealing, their reusability allowing people to simply buy the e-juice refill once they can access it. E-juice, the liquid that is vapourised and inhaled, not only contains the addictive substance nicotine, but also various customisable flavourings from bubble-gum to cinnamon cake. Although there is the odd gross option like tobacco here and there, the vast majority of the market is dominated by sweet and pleasant flavours, attracting more underage customers.
Admittedly, vaping is the lesser evil compared to traditional combustible cigarettes. It does not contain the harmful toxins or carbon monoxide a regular smoker would inhale. That is not to say vaping is without danger, and much of the long-term effects are still unknown, lacking sufficient research into this new trend. Cases of EVALIs (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury and cancer) have been identified since 2019, showing that the health risk is very real. However, insufficient knowledge and awareness has led to a lack of stigma, along with the social perception of vapes being ‘harmless,’ when we are in fact, near clueless.
Social influence is also a big player in this field. A teenage source explained that young people vape “to make you seem cool or make you seem relevant to other people,” and that it’s “a tool to increase your reputation.” Peer pressure, academic stress and social media have louder voices than ever before, as my other source pointed out. It can drown out the advice of older generations, no matter how right or wrong they are. Even simple curiosity can lead someone to try vaping. Then they try again, and again, and again…
Perhaps educating students is one way to discourage young minds from developing poor habits. Even though it may not be effective with some, others will greatly benefit. Meanwhile, we should also recognize that breaking the rules is not simply an act of rebellion, but a way of pushing and exploring boundaries. “Everybody does dumb stuff when they’re young,” said my source.
We should aim to neither blindly condone nor unmercifully condemn vaping. In the end, vaping a few times in your youth is not going to completely and utterly ruin your life. The real worry manifests when it turns into an addiction, becoming a disruption and following you into adulthood.
This is why there needs to be stricter controls on the sale of vaping products, to prevent minors from buying them. Since vaping products may be smuggled illegally into a country, the number of vapes or e-cigarettes carried by a passenger should be restricted, enforcing this through security scans and a fine. Social media platforms must take responsibility to provide a warning on posts related to vaping, so that they’re not glorified anymore. Many companies already do this, but there should be a disclaimer on all vaping products to remind buyers that it contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance, and it could have unknown negative health effects, especially on the lungs. Beneath the tip of the iceberg lies scientific research, which is absolutely essential to become truly aware of vaping’s effects and exercise caution appropriately.
Despite these measures, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to stop all teenagers from dipping their toes into the vaping world. The business has grown so much already, and the best we can do is regulating it. There’s always a way around such laws, and many who vape don’t actually want to stop or see anything wrong with it. If you’re ever tempted, think twice.
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