Written by Karen Tang, General Member
In the United States, e-cigarettes, or more commonly known as vapes, are used by youth more than any other tobacco product. In Canada, the numbers are similar, in that younger Canadians are more likely to have vaped in the past 30 days compared to those aged 25 and older.
What is vaping?
Vaping is the act of inhaling an aerosol produced by heating a liquid or a solid cannabis extract inside a vaping accessory.
What are some harmful effects of vaping?
The aerosol inhaled has been shown to have harm substances, including contaminants such as heavy metals, which are then directly inhaled into the human body.
Despite the statistics outlined above showing that younger Canadians are very likely to have vaped in the past month, it is not safe for youth to use any kind of nicotine product, whether it be cigarettes or vaping products. This is especially true for those who are undergoing changes related to adolescence, as nicotine and cannabis can interfere in health brain development. Given that the brain is not fully developed until the mid-twenties (around aged 25 or so), young people who use nicotine and cannabis before then have an increased susceptibility to the harmful effects of nicotine, such as a higher risk of being dependent or addicted to tobacco/nicotine. Other negative consequences include executive functioning challenges such as hindering learning, memory, and attention; some of these effects are long lasting and may never fully go away.
Furthermore, young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to use regular cigarettes in the future—this is commonly known as the gateway effect.
What is the gateway effect?
Research has consistently demonstrated that adolescents who use e-cigarettes will be subsequently involved in tobacco smoking. Essentially, the gateway or stepping stone effect helps explain the relationship between different substances. E-cig use appears to be a pathway or stepping stone to nicotine addiction and traditional tobacco consumption (e.g., going from vaping to smoking cigarettes).
What is an addiction?
People who use substances can become addicted or dependent to such substances. Since the more frequently someone uses substances such as nicotine, the more their brain and body gets used to having nicotine, and the harder it is for them to go without it. When someone tries to stop using nicotine, the level of nicotine in their body drops, which can lead to unpleasant physical symptoms and an even stronger urge to vape.
Furthermore, if you vape cannabis, you can also be addicted to that too (i.e., cannabis use disorder).
What are some key messages for youth?
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The best way to protect your health is to not use cannabis, nicotine, or other substances.
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This will protect your health in both the present, and the future.
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Substance use can impact your mental health (e.g., addiction) and physical health (e.g., learning, memory). Some of these harmful effects may never go away.
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The earlier you use cannabis or nicotine, the more likely you will experience negative effects, since your brain is not developing until around age 25!
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The earlier you begin to use substances, the more likely you will have challenges studying and are more likely to drop out of high school or university.
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Cannabis impacts concentration, coordination, and reaction time. After alcohol, cannabis is most often linked to car accidents, which can result in serious injuries or death.
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If you need more information or support, talk a trusted adult in your life, such as a parent/guardian or teacher, or you can reach out to https://kidshelpphone.ca/ by calling (1-800-668-6868) or texting (686868).
Resources and further reading:
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/e-cigarettes.html “Is cannabis safe to use? Facts for youth aged 13–17 years”: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-health-products/is-cannabis-safe-use-facts-youth.html
