The age that someone is legally allowed to vape is 18 years old. With that being stated, there is an epidemic that has risen among adolescents who are vaping underage. Although there have been tighter regulations that have been put into place to protect those who are under 18 from readily obtaining vapes, there are still creative ways for teens to get their hands on these products.
One of the burning questions that parents have asked lately is whether or not vaping in front of their teen is a good idea. The rule of thumb that parents should follow is that if you do not want your kids to do something that is deemed inappropriate for their age, then you should not model that behavior for them. Taking drugs, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and now vaping are all behaviors that your teen may follow in your footsteps with if they see you consuming them.
As for the case of a vape, there is misconception that vaping is not harmful for the user or someone who is exposed to the secondhand vapor. This mistaken belief could not be farther from the truth. E-cigarettes, or vapes, do pose dangers for anyone who comes into contact with them instead of naively thinking that the water vapor is strictly harmless.
The vaporized aerosol that is emitted from an electronic smoking device is more harmful than it was once thought to be. Secondhand vapor contains a high concentration of ultrafine particles which has a higher particle concentration of even that of tobacco smoke. The chemicals that are contained in the vaping juice can be detrimental to anyone who comes into contact with the aerosol. The list of chemicals in aerosol vape is astonishing.
Acetaldehyde, Benzene, Cadmium, Formaldehyde, Isoprene, Lead, Nickel, Nicotine, N- Nitrosonornicotine, Toluene, and Propylene Glycol are some of the main chemicals that make up the composition of the secondhand vapor.
The risks that are associated with these chemicals could make a parent think twice about vaping in front of their teenager altogether. Some of the short-term effects include respiratory resistance and impaired lung function making breathing much more difficult to perform.
Because vaping is a relatively new, the long-term effects are unknown even though the vape was originally marketed as an alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. Without parents equipping themselves about the potential dangers of vaping, they could be putting their own child at risk from emitting their secondhand vape.
If you or an adolescent you know needs to get help for drug or alcohol abuse, Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center can give you the guidance that you deserve. Establishing a strong network of family and community can reinforce practices for living substance free.
Call us today to start living in your recovery: 662-598-4214