Individually or as a class, read the below interview with pediatrician Susan Walley, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Tobacco Control. Then, have your students answer the questions below on a separate sheet. A PDF version of the interview and questions is available here.
You need to know that e-cigarettes are not safe. They can cause coughing and wheezing, and changes in blood vessels. They also contain chemicals that cause cancer. Even if you are a "casual" user—you know, you say, "Oh, I’m only using on the weekends or with friends"—that can still lead to severe nicotine addiction. Some teens can experience symptoms of addiction after just a few weeks of use. Your brain doesn’t completely mature until about 25 years of age—and when the brain is still developing, there’s a higher likelihood of becoming addicted to things like nicotine. I get so many comments like, "Oh, well, my friend told me that Juul was nicotine-free"—but it’s simply not true.
Yes. As pediatricians, it’s part of our responsibility to advise you to quit and to help you to quit. And this conversation with your pediatrician is confidential. But I would encourage teens to talk to any trusted adult—whether that’s a parent, a teacher, a counselor, or somebody in their scout troop.
Not vaping is the best thing to do. It’s important to know that the vast majority of teens do not vape, they do not want to vape, and they have not vaped. But when you’re seeing all those social media posts about everybody vaping, you think that everybody vapes. It’s also important to know that millions of teens have quit. And so it definitely is possible.