In high schools all over Colorado, teenagers spend their free time in the bathrooms and corners of the school vaping nicotine, a highly addictive drug. Nicotine is the most prominent substance found inside a vape pen, and releases high levels of dopamine in the brain creating a “happy buzz.” Many students enjoy this feeling and rely on the artificial happiness that nicotine brings to them in a very easy and accessible manner.
Vaping is widespread among teenagers. According to Cross River Therapy, one in four students nationwide owns a vape and uses it daily, meaning that getting ahold of e-cigarettes is easy and is often encouraged by pressure from fellow peers. Peer pressure about vaping is heavy, given that 25% of all students in a high school partake in vaping daily.
While vapes are considered cleaner and less harmful than normal cigarettes, they have their own risks that negatively affect teenagers on the daily. Some of these risks include a nicotine addiction, damage to the lungs in later years, damage to the throat, and distortion of the brain in teenagers.
The unfortunate reality behind vaping is that it’s most popular among teens and pre-teens. Between the ages of 12 and 25 is when the brain is developing the most, and polluting it with harshly addictive chemicals, like nicotine, can affect how the brain is wired and functions. These effects are life long and disrupt how a brain is supposed to mature. Additionally, a nicotine addiction at such a young age can and will lessen a person’s ability to identify and fight addiction in the future.
But regardless of the trap that vaping nicotine can put a teenager in, there are ways to quit nic or avoid vaping in general. Some of these methods include saying “no.” The best way to keep yourself safe from the harm vapes cause is to just not start in the first place. Even though peer pressure can drive one into bad habits such as vaping, ignoring the suggestions is the most effective way to evade a possible addiction.
Another method is to exercise. According to Truth Initiative, using your energy to distract your body by doing more active things like jogging, working out, etc. can be effective ways of avoiding cravings. Physical activity releases dopamine in the brain, the same chemical that nicotine releases. So getting active can be a great way to replace vape cravings.
A third method can be to set goals for yourself and set up rewards for reaching those goals. Celebrate when you successfully say “no” to vaping. “Experts say that recognizing and celebrating accomplishments when you’re quitting can boost resistance to stress and cravings. Even making it through your first few hours is a big accomplishment,” according to Truth Initiative.
White quitting nicotine is one of the most persistent struggles of teenagers in the 21st century, it can be overcome if you decide the risks aren’t worth it. To protect the development of the teenage brain and avoid other physical and long term effects that vaping causes on a young person, quitting and refusing to start are the most effective ways to avoid addiction and stay healthy.
