What is in Vapes?
Name the ingredient that can cause addiction in a Vape.
What is Nicotine
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that negatively affects brain development in adolescents.
How do flavors like fruit or mint influence young people's curiosity about vaping?
The flavors make vaping seem fun and harmless
The fruity and sweet flavors hide the taste of the harmful chemicals, and it also attracts people who would have never tried it otherwise.
What does vaping do to a person's lungs right away?
Irritates airways, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
Inhaling the heated chemicals irritates the airways, causing coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Over time, it can cause "popcorn lung" or severe inflammation that makes it permanently harder to breathe during sports or exercise.
How does regular vaping change a teenager's mood and patience?
Disrupts brain chemicals
Nicotine disrupts the brain chemicals that naturally balance mood. When a student isn't vaping, they can become easily irritated, angry, or frustrated over small things because their brain is craving its next chemical fix.
True or False: The number of middle schoolers who vape is going up.
False
The numbers have been going down to some of the lowest levels in a decade. However, hundreds of thousands of middle schoolers still vape, meaning it is still a major health concern that schools are trying to stop.
What heavy metals can be found in vapes?
Nickel, tin, lead, chromium, and cadmium.
How does peer pressure affect a someones decision regarding whether or not to vape?
The want to fit in, feel older, or avoid being left out
Many young people try vaping just to fit in, feel older, or avoid being left out of their friend group. It is hard to say no when someone around you is doing it.
Why does vaping cause problems in a person's mouth and teeth?
Dries out the mouth, kills good bacteria, bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay
The hot aerosol dries out the mouth, killing off good bacteria and leading to bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. Some chemicals in vapes also leave a sticky residue that plaque easily clings to.
Why does vaping make a person feel more anxious or stressed over time?
Brain panics as the nicotine wears off, causing withdrawal
While the first puff might feel relaxing, the brain quickly panics as the nicotine wears off, triggering intense withdrawal. This constant cycle of crashing and needing another hit creates a permanent state of high anxiety and mood swings.
Out of 100 middle and high school students, about how many currently vape?
5 out of every 100
Recent national data show that about 5 out of every 100 students (around 5.2%) report vaping within the last month. While that means the vast majority of students do not vape, it still adds up to over 1.4 million kids nationwide.
What are the most common chemicals in vapes?
Acetaldehyde and formaldehyde
These chemicals are used to make plastics, adhesives, and preservatives.
In what ways can social media content make vaping appear appealing to teenagers?
Normalizes it, makes it seem exciting, and makes it seem like someone is missing out
Videos on TikTok or Instagram often show popular influencers doing vape tricks or treating the devices like cool accessories. This makes vaping look like a normal and exciting part of teenage life.
How does vaping impact a student's athletic performance and stamina?
Limits blood flow, gets tired quicker, slower speed, slower recovery
Because vaping reduces the amount of oxygen the lungs can hold and limits blood flow, athletes will tire out much faster. It slows down a person's running speed, cuts their stamina, and makes muscles recover more slowly after a workout.
How does nicotine addiction affect a person's self-esteem and confidence?
The feeling of being controlled by a device can make a person feel helpless and lose confidence in themselves.
Realizing that a small plastic device controls how you feel can make a student feel helpless and lose confidence in themselves. Breaking promises to themselves to quit can create a cycle of guilt and low self-worth.
True or False: Most teenagers who vape want to quit.
True
Statistics show that the majority (about 64%) of youth who vape actually want to quit, and a similar number have tried to stop in the past year. This shows that while it might look "cool" at first, most kids quickly realize they are trapped and wish they hadn't started.
True or False: An ingredient from car exhaust can be found in a Vape
True
Benzene is a volatile organic compound, meaning it is a carbon-based chemical that easily evaporates into the air at standard room temperature.
How do vape companies trick young people with their packaging?
Cartoon characters, bright colors, logos that look like popular candy and juice brands
Vapes are often sold in bright colors with cartoon characters or logos that look exactly like popular candy and juice brands. This packaging is designed to make kids feel like the product is a safe, everyday treat.
What happens to the heart and blood pressure when someone vapes?
Heart beats faster and narrows the blood vessels
Nicotine is a powerful stimulant that causes the heart to beat much faster and narrows the blood vessels. This forces the heart to work dangerously hard, even when the person is just sitting still or resting.
In what ways does vaping interfere with a someones sleep and mental energy?
Nicotine makes the brain more alert, making it difficult to get rest.
Nicotine is a powerful stimulant that keeps the brain buzzing and alert, making it very hard to fall asleep or get deep rest. A lack of good sleep leaves students feeling mentally exhausted, foggy, and emotionally drained the next day.
What is the most popular type of vaping device used by teenagers today?
Disposable Vapes
National data show that disposable vapes are by far the most popular choice, with nearly 80% of youth users preferring them. Because they are cheap, pre-filled, and can be thrown away when empty, they have become the primary device driving youth addiction.
True or False: There are hundreds of approved vape flavors in the United States
False
In the United States, there are only 48 approved refills across five brands approved by the FDA. Anything not sold by the brands or on the list is not FDA-approved.
Why does the community or "clique" aspect of vaping pull people in?
It becomes a shared secret, seems exclusive, sense of belonging
Vaping often becomes a shared secret among certain friend groups, creating an exclusive club. The feeling of belonging to a tight-knit group that shares vapes behind screens or in hallways is a very powerful social reward at this age.
How does vaping affect a person's immune system and ability to fight off common sicknesses?
Harms hairs in lungs that trap dirt and germs
Vaping chemicals paralyze the tiny hairs in the lungs that normally trap dirt and germs, while also weakening the body's immune cells. This makes a student much more likely to catch common illnesses like colds, the flu, or bronchitis, and it takes their body much longer to heal.
Why does vaping increase the risk of developing long-term depression?
Vaping overloads dopamine receptors and can make the brain less capable of feeling joy without the drug.
A developing brain relies on a natural chemical called dopamine to feel happiness from everyday activities like hobbies, sports, or hanging out with friends. Vaping overloads this system, making the brain less capable of feeling joy from normal life without the drug.
Once a student starts vaping, how many of them do it almost every single day? (Hint: it's in the 40s)
41%
About 41% of students who vape are "frequent users," meaning they use it 20 or more days out of the month. This high percentage shows just how quickly the nicotine in vapes can trap a young person into a daily addiction.