Trends come and leave, but if vaping turns into a trend among teenagers, it would not leave easily. It would create several health issues, as a deep mark, before departing for good.
Vaping involves a device that converts a nicotine-containing liquid into vapor which the user inhales. Apart from nicotine, heavy metals such as lead, vaporous organic compounds, and carcinogenic elements are also present.
A 2021 study in the United Kingdom found that even though there is no concrete evidence that vaping causes cancer, it cannot be agreed that e-cigarettes are risk-free.
One of the high officials at St Joseph’s RC High School in Bolton, Tony McCabe said that there has been a significant increase in young people acquiring vapes from black markets. He voiced his concern regarding this issue, saying that the risks involved in vaping must be divulged to the public.
The government has also shown efforts to curb vaping by introducing regulations to protect the youth and “prevent them from vaping.”
One of the most recent data reveals that the usage of e-cigarettes has taken a leap of 9% among the early young teenagers of England (11 to 15-years-old). It also requires mention that from 2018 to 2021 there has been a rise from 10% to 21% among 15-year-old girls when it comes to vaping.
Although it has been made illegal to sell vapes to people under 18, a myriad of students from Bolton school conveyed that it was so common in their school that not having a vape seemed unusual. A 15-year-old girl, Grace voiced that it was an extremely common sight for her to see youngsters vaping. Her classmate, Benedict expressed astonishment at how common vaping has become that not vaping is considered peculiar. Anna, a 16-year-old girl, stated that the majority of the people she knew, who vaped, did not see it as something that might cause them trouble in the future, because they were not ill, did not have cancer, and thus had no fear. She added that when teachers asked the students to abstain from vaping, the latter would do it more so, as it was like a game.
Mr McCabe describes this new issue as a pandemic that will continue growing unless voices are raised to curb youngsters from going into the middle of that market.
Doctors also claim that with the bright packaging, exotic flavors and scrumptious names, the e-cigarette firms are deliberately targeting young people.
Kate Pike, the Trading Standards coordinator, voiced that her colleagues had witnessed retailers selling vapes to youngsters on several occasions. She also adds how unfortunate it is that of late ample products are being imported which are not in compliance with the regulations.
Mr McCabe also rightly pointed out that in contemporary times, the desire to fit in is of a very high degree; more than it ever was.
Many adults are afraid that if the problem is not nipped in the bud, it will be too late; vaping might become as normal as using earpods.
