We know a great deal about the short- and long-term effects of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. Unfortunately, since vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, we are only in the very beginning stages of discovering the long-term effects of this behavior. A recent article tells the sad story of a Kayley Boda, a 22-year-old now facing terminal lung cancer after she started vaping at age 15.

"My symptoms started a few months after I started disposable vapes, and there’s no lung cancer in my family," she said. "I haven’t vaped for three months. I’ve made my partner stop, I’ve made my mom stop, and I’m urging all my friends to stop. Stay off the vapes," she continued, "because they will catch up with you."

Echoing the same recommendation that comes from the American Lung Association, Dr. Humberto Choi, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic, notes that, “Your lungs are not made to inhale anything other than clean air. Once aerosols from vaping enter your lungs, they activate inflammatory cells and increase the risk of infection.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that the nicotine contained in vaping products poses unique dangers to youth because their brains are still developing. It harms the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control. Additionally, adolescents who use nicotine may be at increased risk for future addiction to other drugs.

One way to address the vaping issue is to schedule the  15 Minute Child Break Presentation, for your school, community or faith-based organization. This free multi-media program covers the latest drug trends and provides parents, coaches, teachers and other adult caregivers with effective preventive strategies to communicate with their kids about substance misuse and abuse.