Voice of Commonwealth

Vaping – A Lethal Virus Contaminating the Wellbeing of the Young Students

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In recent years, e-cigarette use, often known as vaping, has grown in popularity among college and high school students. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of high school students using e-cigarettes rose from 1.5% in 2011 to 27.5% in 2019. Similarly, the number of college students using e-cigarettes increased from 0.6% in 2011 to 21.8% in 2018. In 2022, 2.55  million students were recorded as addicts of e-cigarettes, with the highest number of users being high-school students.

A lot of the students who are exposed to vaping are unaware about its highly negative consequences, these adversities can damage the health and general well-being of the youth at such a ripe age. Let’s take a closer look at how the air of vaping is polluting the education climate.

E-cigarettes operate by heating a liquid that contains nicotine, to produce an aerosol that users inhale. Numerous e-cigarettes have high nicotine concentrations, which can be quite addictive. Young students who use e-cigarettes run an increased chance of developing a lifelong addiction to nicotine, which can result in health issues and extreme addiction.

Additionally, the nicotine in e-cigarettes is a stimulant that can lead to increased anxiety and irritability. Students may find it difficult to concentrate and focus on their academics as a result, which could affect their academic achievement. Due to constant anxiety, students may lose focus of their goals and purpose and would deter from proper performance which could negatively impact their future. Furthermore, using e-cigarettes causes poor sleep, which can further affect academic performance. Nicotine is a stimulant that can interfere with sleep cycles and cause weariness. Students may struggle to stay awake and focused in class as a result, which will negatively affect their academic achievement. Poor sleep will also vastly impact their health, putting their wellbeing in a state of peril.

The biggest concern is that e-cigarettes are heavily marketed toward young people and are easily accessible. Since many e-cigarettes resemble ordinary cigarettes, pencils, or USB drives, they are simple to conceal and use in educational institutions. Additionally, the idea of using e-cigarettes to stop smoking is frequently promoted, which may appeal to young people who are attempting to quit or who are inquisitive about the habit. The truth however, is much different. An e-cigarette contains nicotine levels which are equivalent to 20 cigarettes and hold the power to cause serious lung and brain damage.

In order to restrict the adverse impact of vaping, and to combat this lethal virus that is infiltrating the lives of the youth, there are a few measures which can be implemented. The very first one, and the most important, is awareness. Students need to be made aware about exactly how harmful these flavoured e-cigarettes are, and similarly, parents should be educated on how to manage children addicted to vaping in order to eventually get them out of the habit.

Increasing e-cigarette enforcement and regulation is a different tactic. This may entail making nicotine products and e-cigarettes illegal to possess and distribute and raising the legal buying age for both to 21. Schools and universities can also enact rules that forbid the use of e-cigarettes on their campuses. Constant raids and checks should be carried out in order to ensure that no student is found with an e-cigarette.

It is also important to provide support and resources for students who may be struggling with e-cigarette addiction. This can include providing counselling and support groups for students, and connecting students with treatment and recovery resources, as well as rehabilitation options.

These measures can reduce the number of students who are drawn into the addiction of this harmful virus that is polluting the lives and well-being of the youth. Undoubtedly, vaping is one the biggest growing concerns with significant negative consequences and action should be taken to address this immediately.

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