Prior to the COVID 19 outbreak, youth vaping and nicotine addiction were widely recognized a public health crisis. The problem was pervasive. The ‘Monitoring the Future’ survey found in 2019 that 25% of High School Seniors and almost 10% of 8th graders had used an e-cigarette containing nicotine in the past month.
While youth vaping may have disappeared from the headlines, it has not disappeared as a real public health threat. If you have teens in your life check it out yourself; ask them about vaping in their school or among their friends. You are likely to hear something like this quote from a high school senior recently interviewed by Colorado Public Radio “Everybody I know or hang out with vapes”.
This is cause for concern. Vaping can cause addiction and a number of different health problems. It may also increase the risk for COVID-19 spread. Keep informed and aware. Good information is available from the Truth Initiative. As decisions are made about schools opening safely let’s not forget about the dangers from vaping.
Michael V. Burke, Ed.D
Program Director and NDC Counselor/ CTTS
