The Risks of E-Cigarettes and Vaping in Middle School Students

A study done by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse in which 8th, 10th and 12th graders were surveyed showed that prior to the pandemic, almost 17% of 8th graders reported vaping.

Despite lawmakers’ efforts to ban flavored nicotine and the FDA’s aggressive ad campaign that targeted 12–17-year old’s about the risks of vaping and using e-cigarettes, it is still a big issue for middle school students that has lifelong consequences.

As a parent and caregiver, here are some things the CDC recommends you can do to help educate yourself and your middle schooler about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. 

Talk to them about what the dangers are:

• Their learning, memory and attention will be impacted. Their brains do not stop developing until they are in their mid-twenties! 

• There are many harmful products inside the e-cigarette besides nicotine. They can cause cancer and are highly addictive. 

• Defective batteries and cartridges have been known to explode and start fires, sometimes in someone’s pocket. 

Know what e-cigarettes look like. Many are cleverly disguised. 

Be a role model and be tobacco-free. 

Help them find alternative ways to deal with stress, anxiety and depression rather than turning to e-cigarettes. 

Talk about peer pressure. Many kids try vaping because someone they know is already doing it.