Teen Smoking

Electronic cigarettes for teens? With the rise in popularity of the newly developed electronic cigarette, some parents are concerned that the electronic cigarette industry is marketing too much to teens. There are many pros and cons to the e-cigarette for adults that are old enough to smoke them.

The electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette is an electrical device that simulates a regular tobacco cigarette, but instead produces an inhaled mist instead of actual smoke. The mist or vapor will bear the same physical sensation and appearance as the smoke from a normal cigarette, which is why it provides smokers with the same type of smoking experience especially because it also has the flavor and nicotine content of inhaled tobacco smoke. Because the e-cigarette technology is just trying to imitate the look, feel and sensation of regular tobacco cigarettes, the manufactures are trying to limit the health risks associated with traditional smoking. However, there are some possible adverse effects to these cigarettes based on some studies that have been done on the product. However, not enough research has been done to provide clear evidence to support whether or not the electronic cigarette is able to eliminate the same health risks associated with tobacco cigarettes. 

Part of the debate surrounding electronic cigarettes is the idea that many of the e-cig manufacturers are focusing on teens as their target, much like big tobacco companies have been doing for decades. While teens under the age of 18, and 19 in some states, are not allowed to purchase cigarettes at all including e-cigarettes, the companies that sell the products offer ad campaigns that appeal to younger generations of smokers including teens. 

Electronic cigarettes are portable and can be charged and have their filters replaced for future usage. The price of an e-cigarette varies, but ranges around $50 per cigarette. Multiple cartridges can be purchased along with other chargers and batteries. Depending on how frequently these are used, the price of an e-cig can get costly.

Possible Problems With Electronic Cigarettes:

Although there is some evidence to support that electronic cigarettes do reduce some of the adverse effects of traditional smoking of tobacco, some believe there are still addictive qualities to electronic cigarettes. Some smokers will switch to e-cigs in an effort to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. 

Law makers in some states are also trying to get the laws surrounding the public sale of e-cigarettes to lessen thus allowing younger teens to be able to purchase the product. However, most parents and other law makers believe that allowing teens to smoke electronic cigarettes will only increase the chances of them smoking regular cigarettes and becoming addicted and receiving the many health risks to that habit including lung and throat cancers, emphysema, osteoporosis and many more. 

Unfortunately because the rise of the e-cig technology and sales and increased so rapidly, the studies being done on electronic cigarettes are few and far between.  Most researchers have yet to be able to get a conclusive opinion stated on the risks and potential problems with using e-cigarettes in place of traditional tobacco cigarettes. 

To prevent your teen from smoking traditional or electronic cigarettes, it is important to talk to them about the risks they are taking by smoking cigarettes and the damage it can do even for a short amount of time. Parents that want to prevent their teens from engaging in these risky and highly addictive behaviors must be open to talking to their teens about the negatives associated with tobacco as well as the problems that can take place once they become addicted to smoking. While it is unclear if the e-cigarettes are dangerous to ones health or not, it is too early to be risking a behavior that could turn out to be just as damaging to smoking an actual cigarette, or risking the possibility of starting out with an e-cig but soon begin desiring to smoke real cigarettes. Be sure to talk to your teens about the dangers of teen smoking and help prevent them from falling into the trap of smoking.

Sources: wikipedia.org, thesafecig.com