2022 Vaping Stats Suggest Kids Who Vape Are More Likely to Use Marijuana

 

Some young adults are trading Marlboros for JUULs and vape pens. According to 2022 statistics, 1 in 20 Americans vape with about 10 million reporting that they vape regularly. Nearly half of those were under age 35, with most frequent users in the 18-24 age category. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration further reported in 2019 that over 5 million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. This trend continues to rise as 1-in-9 high school students reported vaping in the past month, per the CDC in 2021.

Dangers of Vaping. A 2022 study in the journal JAMA Network Open reports that youth who use e-cigarettes are over 3x more likely to use marijuana than those who do not. Youth often believe that vaping is a less harmful way to consume marijuana; however the ingredients in many marijuana vapes have been linked to serious illness or death. According to the CDC, “The teen brain is actively developing until the mid-20s so marijuana use during this period of growth may adversely affect brain development.” Nicotine use among adolescents is linked to brain defects that can affect memory and learning plus it can cause permanent lung damage and lead to addiction.

Signs To Watch For. Parents may have difficulties spotting signs that their child is vaping marijuana because there is not a distinctive odor. Signs to look for include: bloodshot eyes, increased appetite, changes in mood or behavior, changes in friends, and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. If you suspect your teen may be using substances, the best approach is open communication and education. Talk to your kids, reasonably and often, to share facts about the adverse health effects these substances may have on their still developing brains and lungs.

Not Everyone Smokes, Drinks, or Vapes. Remind your teens that they don’t have to resort to peer pressure because they think everyone is drinking, smoking, or vaping. Reality is that most Polk teens choose to be healthy. Among Polk County’s 6-12 grade students: 88% do not use Alcohol; 98% do not use Tobacco, 88% do not use Marijuana, 90% do not Vape, and 99% do not abuse Prescription Drugs. Now, those are the statistics that we like to see!