A teen is ready to take part in the next big trend in our culture. Recently, though, waves of young people have been adopting a deadly habit that is not at all glamorous or socially attractive: vaping. With a seemingly harmless exterior and a repertoire of appealing flavor packets, e-cigarettes have become one of the most popular sources of tobacco amongst American teens over the past years. In fact, a staggering 73% of young people believe vaping is a fabulous alternative to smoking traditional tobacco products. In reality, the addictive potential is still the same.
Developed over a decade ago, e-cigarettes are marketed as healthy alternatives to smoking or potentially helpful “next-steps” for current nicotine addicts. Often, these devices are built to resemble actual cigarettes and small pens, as well as pipes or flash drives (depending on the brand) and contain small cartridges (sometimes refillable) filled with a small dose of nicotine and flavorings. As users take a few puffs on the e-cigarette, a vaporizer heats the chemical mixture, which turns into an aerosol solution that the user ultimately inhales. This entire process has been tagged as “vaping.”
For years, health experts have been on the fence concerning the safety of e-cigarettes. These devices do not expose the user to smoke or burning chemicals or contain tobacco products, unlike traditional cigarettes. Also, e-cigarettes do not produce fatal doses of nicotine like their counterparts. Based on this information alone, it would seem that avid smokers have found a gateway to addiction recovery.
The simple answer is “no.” The truth is that e-cigarettes are as equally addictive and dangerous as tobacco. Besides nicotine, cartridges can contain heavy metals (nickel and chromium) and formaldehyde. Furthermore, some types of e-cig flavor packets contain diacetyl, a dangerous toxin that has been described as having a distinctive buttery taste.
Even more frightening, these devices attract an abundance of teenagers. Health experts warn that young people may move on to trying traditional cigarettes after being exposed to the small dose of nicotine in e-cigs. Likewise, consumption of heavy metals and toxic substances could lead to long-term health problems and fatal illnesses including cancer.
However, there is always hope for young addicts. Tobacco and nicotine products do not have control over your life. You do. If you need help overcoming a dependency on e-cigarettes or any other harmful substances or require addiction treatment, get in touch with Asana Recovery. Counselors and healthcare experts can walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and help guide you to a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While it might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your nicotine addiction troubles today.
