Cigarettes. In the 1960s, they were all the rage. Advertised as cool, trendy (and at some point even healthy). Until… they weren’t, once it was discovered that smoking nicotine was a health hazard and seriously addictive. During the following decades, there were anti-cigarette campaigns intent on scaring the newer generation from ever picking up the habit of smoking. And it was working, the heavy use of nicotine in the U.S fell to an all-time low.
Until… e-cigarettes, more commonly called vapes, became the target of Gen Z and now even Gen Alpha’s attention. Presented in a wide variety of flavors and colors, one of their biggest appeals lies in the ‘fun’ imagery. They’re unassuming enough that they don’t seem intimidating as an actual cigarette. No odor, no lighters, no problem. From the start, the unsuspecting youth have been the ideal target. When things are marketed, people get interested; that’s just the way it goes. The downside is that the health and well-being of kids are being traded for money. But you don’t have to be used in that way; you can choose not to vape.
Other than the marketing, which has been targeted at that demographic, there are other reasons teenagers/young adults begin vaping:
Distress or poor mental health
Surprisingly common reasons that people begin vaping are temporary relief from anxiety or to cope with distress. It’s a common reason people start relying on substances in general. The unfortunate thing is, while you may start to get relief for a while, using nicotine is known to worsen anxiety. It becomes a cycle of trying to get temporary relief. The lows get lower, and the highs lose intensity. Ultimately, it’s not worth it. Finding a more proactive, healthy way to manage stress and poor mental health will make everything that much brighter when you’ve worked through it.
On the topic of mental health, it’s possible that someone struggling doesn’t think about things like their health or future much at all. So something like the effects of nicotine and the various chemicals and metals that e-cigs contain becomes a non-issue. If you (or someone you know) begins considering taking risks, such as becoming dependent on a substance, seek some form of external help as soon as possible.
Peers
Some people start simply because everyone else around them is doing it, and yes, that’s a completely normal impulse to have. Trends, public opinion, and lots of things in society overlap because people follow the majority. The issue arises when people don’t think for themselves and do something that ultimately goes against their morals or well-being. When it comes to vaping, the thought process of whether or not you should start should go beyond, “well, since other people I know do it,” or “other people do it, so why not?” The choice may seem easy, but the consequences are not. Since vaping is still such a new thing, the long-term effects of vaping are still somewhat ambiguous. We don’t know how bad it gets yet. That is to say, once someone starts the habit, they will be gambling their long-term health. The people who have started to vape have already taken a risk on their future.
While it’s easy to condemn those for their use of nicotine or substances, habits are easy to pick up and hard to put down. Lots of people are more susceptible to becoming reliant, like those with a family history of substance abuse/addictions, those with addictive personalities, and those who are neurodivergent. It can even just be something as simple as using an external thing to fill some sort of void in your life. We’re all human, it happens. Luckily, there are resources to be able to help! Here’s a brief list of resources from Washington county https://www.washingtoncountyor.gov/behavioral-health/addictions
The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/1964/01/01/archives/tobacco-industrys-peak-year-523-billion-cigarettes-smoked.html
WRITTEN BY: Kris Sanders, Empowerteen Creative Writer Intern
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