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Elizabeth Hoster
Ms. Bello
ENGL 101-028
30 October 2019
The Dangers of Teen Vaping
E-cigarettes and vaping have become a rapidly increasing trend in Dallas, Texas. They
started as an alternative for adult smokers but have turned into a popular trend. More and more
people who have no previous experience with smoking have started to use e-cigarettes. While
they are portrayed as being a safer and healthier alternative to cigarettes they still have many
harmful effects and the long term affects are still unknown. With the use of these products
increasing so quickly, especially among young adults and underage teens, something needs to be
done to raise awareness of the danger. I believe that the Texas Tobacco Prevention and Control
Program can help to reduce the number of teens using e-cigarettes by producing testimonial ads
and commercials of people who have experienced for themselves the negative impacts and
addictive affects, and target the companies that are helping contribute to this issue.
While many e-cigarette users may be against this program trying to reduce the number of
people using e-cigarettes, the amount of evidence that proves the harmful affects of using them
will show why it is crucial to raise awareness and try to stop the trend of vaping from spreading
any further. In the article, “Teen vaping: time to clear the air,” Brenda Douglass and Susan
Solecki address the fact that, “[V]aping has escalated at alarming rates among adolescents and
young adults” (“Teen vaping” 1). It has become popular and trendy for teens to use vapes and e-
cigarettes and many teens are unhappy with the laws and regulations involving e-cigarettes. With
how addictive nicotine is, many teens get hooked and have no desire to quit vaping, and due to
the popularity many teens feel pressured or encouraged to use them. Douglas and Solecki also
write that 1 in 6 high school and middle school students use e-cigarettes. (“Teen vaping” 1).
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Despite the opposition there may be to have ads and commercials discouraging vaping, it has
become a big problem among teens and the risks need to be brought to light.
One of the most important things to direct attention to is how addictive nicotine can be.
The majority of e-cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and one of the
main reasons people find it difficult to give vaping up. Because it is not necessarily considered a
“hard” drug, many people underestimate how damaging and addictive it can be. However,
according to John Moxham in his article, “Nictoine Addiction,” “Nicotine is as addictive as
"hard" drugs such as heroin.” (“Nicotine” 1). Furthermore, Moxham writes that people often
develop the habit as children and have an addiction by the time they become adults, and although
many people want to quit, only about 2% of those who try actually succeed. (“Nicotine” 1). At a
young age, people are developing an addiction that they can struggle with for the rest of their
lives. If more isn’t done to prevent young people from using nicotine, they will likely continue to
use it throughout their lifetime. This is one of the most important reasons we need to raise
awareness; so that e-cigarette users know the dangers of nicotine and would be discouraged from
continuing to use it, or from buying it for underage friends.
Another factor that is contributing to this issue is the way that vapes and e-cigarettes are
advertised. While most e-cigarette companies stand by their claims that the only purpose of these
products is to be an alternative for adult smokers, many use advertising strategies that are
targeted at teens and young adults. In the article, "E-Cigarettes: Facts, Perceptions, and
Marketing Messages,” Ellen Carr quotes the FDA by saying “E-cigarette marketing strategies
have not so subtly sought to recruit a younger, loyal market using various e-cigarette colors and a
wide variety of flavors (e.g., apple, strawberry, banana, cinnamon roll, peach cobbler, chocolate,
vanilla, cherry, menthol, Marlboro, Red Bull), despite a 2009 FDA ban on flavored cigarettes
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(FDA, 2013b; Gray, 2013; Riker et al., 2012; Stobbe, 2013; U-T San Diego, 2013)” (“E-
cigarettes” 2). Despite the flavor ban put on most nicotine products, these companies are still
coming out with new styles and colors in order to appeal to a younger audience. Carr also
addresses that these companies use many of the same advertising methods that were used to
promote cigarettes in previous decades. (“E-cigarettes” 2). By targeting the way these companies
market their products, it will show e-cigarette users the deception that is being used to draw them
in to using these products, and further discourage them from purchasing tobacco products from
these companies.
The final issue that needs to be addressed is the negative impact that e-cigarettes can have
on physical health. They are perceived as safe and healthy in comparison with cigarettes, but
they still have many negative effects. In addition, due the recency of their popularity, not much is
known about the long-term effects of using e-cigarettes. Because of the perception of safety,
many people use e-cigarettes excessively without truly understanding the risk they are taking.
Marie-Claude Gregoire, in her article, “Vaping risks for youth continue to emerge,” states that,
“The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on a new "severe pulmonary
disease" that appears to be related to vaping. Close to 500 cases have been reported, and the
death toll continues to increase, with six confirmed victims as of Sept. 11.” (“Vaping risks” 1).
Works Cited
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Carr, Ellen R, RN,M.S.N., A.O.C.N. "E-Cigarettes: Facts, Perceptions, and Marketing
Messages." Clinical journal of oncology nursing 18.1 (2014): 112-6. ProQuest.
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1500356609?accountid=12085
Douglass, Brenda L., and Susan Solecki. "Teen vaping: time to clear the air."
Contemporary Pediatrics, Aug. 2017, p. 24+. Gale Academic Onefile,
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A504054248/AONE?u=vic_liberty&sid=AONE&xid=7ddd6bc0.
Grégoire, Marie-Claude. "Vaping Risks for Youth Continue to Emerge: CMAJ CMAJ."
Canadian Medical Association.Journal 191.40 (2019): E1113-4. ProQuest.
dx.doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.l095807
Moxham, John. "Nicotine Addiction." Student BMJ 8 (2000)ProQuest.
dx.doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.000490
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