2023-05-31 10:06:37
Vaping is no game, as much as the tobacco industry has tried to make it seem that way. It is the gateway to tobacco use
A few days ago, the video of a girl, about 9 or 10 years old, who was celebrating her First Communion, went viral on social networks. The reason for such virality was that in the images of her she appeared opening a gift box that contained up to a total of twenty vapers or electronic cigarettes, to the delight of her parents, other invited children and herself.
A video that has brought to the table a problem that has been on the street for some time and that especially affects children and adolescents. Vaping is no game, as much as the tobacco industry has tried to make it seem that way, it is the gateway to tobacco use.
X-ray of the situation
According to data from the Spanish Society of Family Medicine, 45% of adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 have vaped at some time; but the most worrying thing is that one in five does it daily. Science tells us that If a person has never smoked before the age of 18, it is very difficult for them to end up being a smoker.the tobacco industry knows this and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep having customers.
This is how they manage to reach the youngest
To reach a young audience, it is not enough for vapers to have bright colors and attractive flavors and smells. This part is essential, since the smell of tobacco is not pleasant and is identified with a harmful habit, but the smell of strawberries or blueberries is pleasant and gives a false sense of innocuousness. In fact, 40% of teens think they’re not harmful.
the other way to reach the public between 14 and 18 years old They are social networks, especially TikTok, and since there is currently no specific regulation on the advertising of these vapers on networks, manufacturers have an open field. One look at this platform is enough to find sweepstakes, challenges with influencers and all kinds of videos promoting its consumption.
In addition, getting them is very easy. They can be bought on a multitude of web pages, vending machines, kiosks or supermarkets and for less than ten euros they promise hundreds of puffs.
The position of official organizations
The Ministry of Health prepared a draft within the so-called Comprehensive Plan for the prevention and control of smoking. In that documente intends to equate vapers to tobaccosomething that would mean that they would be placed in a very restrictive regulatory framework, especially with regard to their sale and advertising, the problem is that this document has been stopped for more than a year.
For its part, the World Health Organization has published a study that shows that children and adolescents who vape triple the chances of smoking tobacco when they reach adulthood. It should be remembered that the WHO can only publish recommendations, and it is up to the state agencies of each country to restrict their sale and consumption.
What’s inside a vape
A liquid composed of 70% propylene glycol and 30% vegetable glycerin. Water-soluble aromas and, optionally, nicotine are added to this mixture.
Most of these vapers or electronic cigarettes are to be used and thrown away. They also contain a battery and a resistance that is activated and heats up with each inhalation, the liquid vaporizes and the smoker inhales it.
The health hazards
Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are toxic substances that cause lung irritation, as well as inflammation of the tissues of the mouth. In the case of nicotine vapers, in addition, generate great dependency to this substance and it is not possible to detect it when we use it, to know if it contains nicotine or not we must look at the ingredients since it does not alter its taste or smell. Another important consequence of the continued use of vapers is lipoid pneumonia.
Long-term damage is unknown.since it is a fairly new product and the scientific studies that we have are scarce, but despite this, they all warn of important consequences for health.
Do they help you quit smoking?
In its beginnings they were sold as the solution to stop smoking, as a healthier alternative to tobacco that made smokers get rid of this habit, but this statement has proven to be false in the vast majority of cases. The cases of tobacco users who have managed to quit smoking thanks to these vapers are anecdotal, but on the contrary, they have managed to attract a public that was totally foreign to this habit.
According to the criteria of
The Trust Project
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