E-cigarette use is still a major issue among high school pupils. What can we do about it?

By Shanjida Islam, for Walling's grade 12 blogger page, Posted: January 19, 2023, 12:17 PM

Taken by Shanjida Islam on January 20, 12:00 pm

Smoking covertly in the school's restroom? How outdated right? High School teenagers nowadays have embraced vaping as a covert alternative to smoking that they may use without ever leaving the classroom. Newly released federal figures show that more than one in 10 high school students vape. The majority of Canadian provinces, with the exception of Alberta and Saskatchewan, have laws that forbid minors from using e-cigarettes. Additionally, Health Canada must approve nicotine-containing vaping products before they may be sold in Canada.  

Saskatchewan recently limited the use of vape products to adults only as of September 1, 2021. But is it effective? Are teenagers not using e-cigarettes and developing addictions to them? 

The answer is NO. 

Teenagers between the ages of 15 and 16 sometimes persuade older students to buy them nicotine and vape. Also, a lot of retailers disregard the age requirement. They don't verify the age by looking at their formal identification. Many people believe that because e-cigarettes contain less nicotine than cigarettes, they are safe for minors to use. But the truth is that vaping harms you over the long term. Particulates from e-cigarettes may contain the carcinogens formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde, which are also present in cigarette smoke and can harm the lungs permanently. toxic metal particles that can be breathed into the lungs, such as nickel, lead, and chromium. 

 What can we do about it? 

Teenagers must first be informed about the long-term risks of vaping. Second, the government needs to be stricter about only supplying substances to people who are of legal age. Parents must educate themselves on the negative effects of vaping in order to protect their children. Teenagers find vaping more tempting since social media has made it a trend. We need to take action to spread the message that smoking, and vaping only serve to intentionally harm one's health and are not cool. There should be absolutely no tolerance for students or minors smoking or bringing vape inside the building. If any minor is observed engaging in it within or outside of school, the school or the health authorities should take appropriate action. 

If you are interested, feel free to sign this petition https://www.change.org/p/ban-e-cigarette-and-vaping-advertisements 

Work Cited 

“4 Major Health Risks Linked to e-Cigarette Use.” WebMD, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/vaping/vaping-ecigarette-health-risks-lung-heart. 

Association, American Lung. “E-Cigarettes, Vapes and Juuls - What Schools Should Know.” E-Cigarettes, Vapes and JUULs - What Schools Should Know | American Lung Association, https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/e-cigarettes-schools. 

Canada, Health. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 31 Mar. 2022, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping/risks.html. 

“The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act - Information for Schools.” Government of Saskatchewan, https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/wellness-and-prevention/tobacco-and-vapour-products/tobacco-and-vapour-products-free-schools/information-for-schools#:~:text=This%20prohibition%20extends%20to%20all,in%20schools%20is%20also%20prohibited. 

“Vaping (e-Cigarettes): What It Is, Side Effects & Dangers.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21162-vaping.