Back in 2018, the Monitoring the Future Survey revealed a terrible new trend among teenagers in the United States: vaping. Over the past 12 months of last year, officials confirmed that about 37.3% of 12th graders had admitted to using e-cigarettes, in contrast to 27.8% of these teens in 2017. Add an additional increase of use among 8th and 10th graders, and that means that 1.3 million more teenagers were using these e-cigs in 2018 alone. Recently, medical professionals and lawmakers have been fighting to get a tighter grip on the distribution of these potentially deadly tools and preventing them from being marketed to teens. However, some of the staunchest supporters of preventing vaping are pediatricians, and they are fighting tooth and nail to save young people from these drugs.
A Giant Step Backward
Needless to say, the recent surge in teen vaping among Americans is a major step backward for the public and the scientific community. In fact, according to reports, we may have just lost 50 years-worth of public health accomplishments, at least in terms of tobacco and nicotine consumption. Dr. Brian Jenssen (a primary care pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) reemphasizes how the earlier a person uses nicotine during their lifetime, the more likely they are to have a hard time breaking away from this drug. Dr. Jenssen also confirms that most adult smokers started using before they were 18 years of age.
Preventing Youth Access
Based on a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), nicotine can inflict severe, long-lasting damage on the teenage brain, and the statistics surrounding teen vaping in recent years have certainly not put doctors’ minds at ease. In 2018 alone, roughly 21% of high school students and (most shockingly) 5% of middle school students confirmed they had used e-cigarettes in the month prior to participating in the National Youth Tobacco Survey. Dr. Susan Walley (a co-author of this study) believes the federal government needs to issue tighter regulations on the distribution of these dangerous devices, while additional medical professionals believe e-cigarettes should follow the same codes that apply to traditional cigarette use in areas where children frequent.
Seeking Treatment for Cigarette Use
Drugs like nicotine and byproducts from tobacco are dangerous enough for adults, so imagine how deadly these substances can be for teenagers and young adults, whose brains are reaching a point of fine-tuning. At this point, they are preparing to make critical choices that will shape who they become as adults, and e-cigarettes certainly don’t contribute to a positive future, despite what media may want you to think.
If you, a friend, or loved one is suffering from a severe case of cigarette abuse or addiction, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our professional team of counselors and healthcare experts will help you endure the painful process detox and withdrawal and guide you through each step of the rehabilitation process to help you separate yourself from these substances. The time to take back control of your life is now.
If you want to find out more about our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs or enroll in one of these programs today, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your leisure and your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn about how you can overcome your attachment to cigarettes and e-cigarettes today.
