GREENSBORO, N.C. — As we approach the school year, health experts are warning parents about the resurgence of vaping and e-cigarette use in kids.
Alyssa Dittner is a Complex Disease Navigator and COPD Program Coordinator at Novant health. She said one in five high schoolers is becoming addicted to nicotine which makes them four times more likely to become cigarette smokers in the future.
“The Juuls specifically contain five percent of nicotine concentrate so that's equivalent to about 20 cigarettes worth of nicotine in one pod,” Dittner. “The nicotine in the vape pens are just a lot stronger and people are just consuming a lot more so they're putting themselves at a higher risk of getting lung cancer and heart disease and stroke.”
Dittner says about 35 percent of parents are not even aware that their kids are vaping. She recommends parents educate themselves about vaping products before talking to their children about the dangers.
“Really just supporting and not scolding your child I think is really important. Just opening up that dialog to inform them about the risk, because many people think that e-cigarettes are safe and just water vapor, but it really consists of many chemicals and heavy metals."
Quitting smoking isn't easy. It can be frustrating and exhausting, but there are several free resources that can help.