Graf also suggests slathering hummus or
mustard on sandwiches in lieu of may-
onnaise.
TIPS & RECIPES
“I only keep healthy snacks at home.
My daughter learned to like celery and
peanut butter. She’ll also sprinkle cinna-
mon on apple slices.”
— Susan Cerulli, school nurse at Havi-
land Middle School, Hyde Park, NY
“My daughter loves heart-healthy break-
fast sandwiches: egg whites, mush-
rooms, and low fat cheese on wheat
bread. Use olive oil cooking spray for
frying. Sometimes we add turkey sau-
sage. This sandwich is great source of
protein and energy without the fat.”
— Maria Hoskins, Hyde Park, NY
Strawberry Milk
Smoothie:
*Presented by Haviland Middle School
“Life and Workforce Skills” class
1 cup low fat cold
milk
1 cup fresh straw-
berries (or frozen if
unavailable)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup low fat
vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ cup crushed ice
(more for fresh
berries)
Blend all ingredients in a blender for 2
minutes.
Myrna Beth Haskell is the author of “LI-
ONS and TIGERS and TEENS: Expert
advice and support for the conscientious
parent just like you” (Unlimited Pub-
lishing, LLC). Her work has appeared
in publications across the U.S. as well
as internationally. Learn more at www.
myrnahaskell.com.
Teens Using Vaping Devices in
Record Numbers
S
ince 1975, the Nation-
al Institute on Drug
Abuse, an agency of
the U.S. government’s National
Institute of Health (NIH) has con-
ducted a “Monitoring The Future”
(MTF) survey each fall, measuring
drug and alcohol use and related at-
titudes among adolescent students
nationwide.
Survey participants report
their drug use behaviors across
three time periods: lifetime, past
year, and past month. Overall,
44,482 students from 392 public and
private schools participated in this
year’s survey, the results of which
were just released in December of
2018.
The results state that opioid
misuse is at record lows, and
marijuana use is remaining sta-
ble, but the most striking finding
of this year’s survey is that there
is a substantial and significant increase in
vaping among 8th, 10th and 12th graders
across the country.
Overall, rates of vaping are second
only to alcohol among substances surveyed,
with 17.6 percent of 8th graders, 32.3 per-
cent of 10th graders, and 37.3 percent of
12th graders reporting past-year vaping.
Vaping is the act of inhaling and ex-
haling aerosol or vapor produced by a vape
device. Because of the rise in popularity
of JUUL, a specific type of vape device,
many teens and young adults use the term
“JUULING” (pronounced Jeweling), in-
stead of vaping.
Vape devices can look like regular
cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, while others
resemble USB sticks, guitar picks, and a
small cell phone.
Although many substances can be
vaped, the three most common are flavored
e-liquids, flavored e-liquids with nicotine,
and marijuana. Flavored e-liquids come
in thousands of flavors; and they may also
contain different levels of nicotine, ranging
from 2mg/ml to 59mg/ml. JUUL contains
59mg/ml of nicotine in each pod — the
equivalent of one pack of cigarettes.
Is Vaping Safe?
The short answer is that vaping isn’t
considered safe for teens and young adults,
especially since their brains are still
developing. Vaping is a relatively
new phenomenon. As a result,
long-term studies that examine
its impact on teen and young adult
health and behavior have yet to be
concluded. But there are some com-
mon sense facts parents should take
note of.
Exposure to Nicotine – Nico-
tine is worrisome because it can be
highly addictive. Due to the fact
that the brain is undergoing massive
changes during adolescence through the
mid- to late-20’s, nicotine use may re-
wire the brain, making it easier to get
hooked on other substances and con-
tribute to problems with concentration,
learning, and impulse control.
Exposure to Toxic Sub-
stances – The reports indicate
that most e-cigarettes contain
and release a number of potentially
toxic substances, although exposure is con-
siderably lower than those found in regular
cigarettes.
Dependence – Studies report that
when a person stops vaping, they can expe-
rience withdrawal symptoms, and that de-
pendence may occur, the severity of which
is influenced by the nicotine concentration,
flavorings, device type and brand.
Smoking Risk – According to a re-
view published online in JAMA Pediatrics,
teens and young adults who vape are al-
most 4 times as likely as their non-vaping
peers to begin smoking traditional ciga-
rettes.
Injuries & Poisonings – Vape devic-
es, especially those with poor quality bat-
teries, can explode resulting in burns and
other injuries. Exposure to e-liquids from
drinking, either on purpose or by accident,
eye or skin contact, or injection can result
in seizures, brain injury due to lack of oxy-
gen, vomiting, problems related to lactic
acid buildup in the body, or death.
To learn more and download a copy
of “What You Need To Know And How
To Talk To Your Kids About Vaping,” visit
https://drugfree.org/article/how-to-talk-
with-your-kids-about-vaping/. You can
read about the Monitoring The Future sur-
vey at https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-
topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future.
January 2019 WNY Family 49