Teen smoking has been on the decline over the past few years, as more and more teenagers have found their way to what is supposedly a healthier alternative to the cancer causing, teeth rotting effects of a cigarette. As of 2015, “vaping” has become the new trend in the teenage life with e-cigarettes rising in popularity throughout schools. Diamond Bar High School is no exception to this trend and countless students have taken up e-cigarettes as described in the article on the device in this issue of the Bull’s Eye. However, while the media and advertisements suggest that e-cigarettes are a healthy alternative that offers little to none of the dangers caused by regular cigarettes, science paints a different picture that is quite smoky.

The past years have seen high school vaping statistics reach record highs with over 16 percent of 12th graders reportedly having vaped within the past 30 days in a study done by University of Michigan. Most who take up vaping believe that it is harmless to the body due to absence of cancer causing substances associated with a regular cigarette. In addition, recent additions of flavored vapor juices make e-cigarettes highly attractive to younger generations of users. Deceptive advertising combined with teenagers’ ignorance of the harmful effects e-cigarettes have on their bodies and minds have persuaded many to take up an activity that could be highly detrimental to one’s future.

Dangers exist in the use of e-cigarettes. Vaping at an early age can often lead individuals to take up smoking later on in their life, as reported by the Journal of American Medical Association. Many e-cigarette users inhale large amounts of nicotine, oftentimes in greater amounts than are present in a regular cigarette. This increased usage gives the users a strong addiction to nicotine, making it difficult to quit over time. While there are many nicotine-free cartridges offered, even those have been reported to contain nanoparticles of metals that could have harmful effects on one’s body. Furthermore, studies by the University of Rochester have shown e-cigarette flavorings to be damaging to lung cells of vapers. This problem exists for adult e-cigarette users and is even more dangerous to teenagers, whose lungs haven’t fully developed.

Sellers frequently refer to e-cigarettes as a tool for smokers to quit smoking, not as a cool activity for minors under the age of 18. Currently in California, it is illegal for marketers to sell e-cigarettes to minors. In addition, state health officials have called for a campaign to combat the use of e-cigarettes in the state and educate students of the dangers posed by vaping. It is finally time for people to realize that e-cigarettes are a huge detriment to one’s health and should be monitored. With a collective effort, it will be possible to prove to the up-and-coming generation that while e-cigarettes offer many different flavors, the overall effect isn’t so sweet.

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