If you’re in high school, you’ve probably had the universal experience of naively walking into the bathroom and inhaling a cloud of mango vapor. While there isn’t much research done on the second-hand effects of vaping, it can be extremely harmful to anyone who participates. 

Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor that is produced by an electronic cigarette. It hasn’t existed long enough for us to know the long-term effects, but recently there have been cases of serious lung damage and occasional death. So far, there have been nine documented deaths and 530 vaping related illnesses, yet some continue to vape with zero concern. Maybe they don’t believe that anything could happen to them, but statistics disagree. Even if someone who vapes doesn’t require hospitalization, it can affect their mood, attention, control of one’s self, learning, concentration, and memory. It is especially detrimental in teens and can slow brain development.

On another note, what is exhaled from vaping is not a vapor, but because it contains nicotine, flavoring and a humectant, such as propylene glycol, it is actually an aerosol. Therefore, not only are they harming themselves, but they’re also harming the environment. Additionally, many of those components have been linked to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease. The chemical diacetyl, which is used in several vape juices has been known to cause a condition called popcorn lung, which describes the obstruction and scarring of the lungs’ smallest airways. 

In teenage years vaping is particularly harmful. First of all vaping, prepares the brain for other drug use and addiction, as well as high-risk behavior. I understand that a lot of teenagers who vape started because they saw others doing it, but you would think that after being warned against cigarettes their whole life, they would think twice about using a substance containing nicotine that there is very little scientific knowledge about. It’s not fair to place all the blame on them though. Multi-billion dollar e-cigarette companies are specifically targeting their advertising towards adolescents, no matter how much they attempt to deny it. On the other hand, many adults use vaping as a method to quit cigarettes. However, the FDA has not approved vaping as a way to cease smoking as there is very limited evidence that it can actually help or is any less harmful. 

In conclusion, vaping is an incomprehensible decision. The only thing that comes out of it is an early death and looking like a fool. I’ll leave you with this if you’re thinking about beginning to vape, don’t. If you’re already addicted, get help and stop.