happy + healthy
vaping
MORE ADDICTIVE THAN HEROIN
By Derek Osborn, Executive Director- PRIDE of Tuscaloosa
Theoretically, as humans we are supposed to learn
from our mistakes and pass our wisdom down to
our kids and grandkids in hopes that they won’t
let history repeat itself. One way or another, we let
this one sneak up on us.
When you talk to your kids about vaping, don't just tell them
not to do it. Explain the reasons why they shouldn’t do it. The
conversation about the safety of the product misses the point.
The fact that nicotine is more addictive than heroin and can per-
manently change the brain, especially when the prefrontal cortex
is not fully developed, is the point. We’re talking about effects on
cognition, memory, emotion, and a proneness to lifelong use.
Good Intentions Gone Bad
Technology can be a wonderful creation, and should hypotheti-
cally be far more beneficial than it is destructive. The invention
of e-cigarettes (vapes, e-cigs) is no exception. Originally created
to give smokers a safer alternative, e-cigs came into existence
with just that in mind— a better product meant to help people
who can’t quit smoking while giving them the opportunity to
improve their health and potentially extend their lives.
For many, it has been a huge success. While we still don't know
what long-term vaping means in relation to overall health, most
experts agree that it’s better than smoking traditional cigarettes.
What we do know is that every good intention usually comes
with a negative consequence. In this case, it’s the explosion of
vaping among middle and high school students.
A Growing Problem
As a person who works in drug prevention and provides pro-
gramming to students of all ages, here’s a rough guess: 30-50%
of middle school students and 50-75% of high school students
have vaped within the past 30 days. I’m not telling you these are
official numbers— I’m just telling you what the students tell me.
Yes, those are their estimates.
Even if the actual numbers amount to just half of that, it is still
an incredibly troubling trend. But they don't think so. They
think it’s harmless fun, and great for a quick buzz. What they
don’t realize is that it’s rewiring their brains.
20 |
Winter 2018
The Substance That Won’t Go Away
Nicotine is the addictive substance that won’t go away. For years,
health department messages and tobacco prevention efforts have
been largely effective. Teen smoking and chewing tobacco use is
down. Many cities and campuses have gone “smoke free,” which
has helped change culture over the past couple of decades.
Despite all of that progress, we have somehow allowed a new
generation to get addicted to nicotine. The delivery method has
simply changed. This was not an intentional consequence of
e-cig creation, but it was predictable.
Turning Things Around
Regardless of the intent, the time to turn this around is now. I’m
not sold on the idea that teens who vape will eventually start
smoking. Being chemically dependent on anything in order to
feel normal and to restore brain function is a definite form of
addiction, though, and can easily be avoided.
Derek Osborn is a Certified Prevention Manager/Specialist and the
Executive Director of the Parents Resource Institute for Drug Edu-
cation (PRIDE) of Tuscaloosa. He is a graduate of the University of
Tennessee at Chattanooga and is president-elect of the Alabama
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
The topic of Vaping and eCigs was presented at the 16th Annual
FOCUS Rallies at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa by
Derek Osborn and at Shocco Springs Conference Center by Raven
Barber, President of the Peer Leaders at Jacksonville State
University.
Follow PRIDE of Tuscaloosa on Facebook and Twitter for the latest
in drug news and trends, or go to prideoftuscaloosa.org for more
information.
www.potentialmagazine.com