Studies have shown that e-cigarettes and vaping affect your brain function and may have disastrous results for teen smokers.

E-Cigarettes and Teenagers

Vape pens and e-cigarettes are often marketed as an effective way for smokers to quit smoking. Despite being touted as a safe way for smokers to ditch their cigarette habit, vaping comes with its own set of dangerous side effects and may be just as addictive, according to the Surgeon General.

Additionally, e-cigarette companies have been accused by consumers and health advocates of intentionally marketing their products to teens. JUUL, Vuse, Blu, Logic, and MarkTen XL have all been accused of targeting teens with their advertising.

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has called the e-cigarette fad an “exploding epidemic,” with an increase of 1.5 million e-cigarette youth users from 2017 to 2018.

How Does Vaping Affect Your Brain?

Nicotine is both a stimulant and a sedative, releasing adrenaline in the body and affecting the heart rate, breathing activity, and blood pressure. According to Sciencenewsforstudents.org, nicotine travels to the brain within just seven seconds of puffing a cigar, or inhaling it through several means such as a hookah, e-cigarette, or traditional lit cigarette.

Nicotine has its own special key which unlocks receptor molecules on the exterior part of cells causing the brain to release dopamine, a chemical from the reward center of the brain. When the chemical jumps the synapse gap and a neighboring neuron receives the signal, the result is a type of high that gives the smoker or vaper feedback that feeds the addictive loop.

Over time, the body develops a tolerance to the higher levels of neurotransmitter activity. As with any additive drug, these receptors increase in number and it takes more of the chemical to get the same effect spurring the user on to increase their intake.

As indicated by Sciencenewsforstudents.org, the constant exposure to more and more nicotine can cause the adolescent to experience serious depression and anxiety as well as trouble focusing.

Nicotine is extremely addicting, especially to young people. According to health experts, nicotine exposure before age 25 may actually alter the brain and change the way that synapses are formed.

The flavorings that are added to e-cigarettes and vape pens may be additionally appealing to teenagers. Almost 90 percent of addicted smokers start smoking before age 18. As the brain does not finish developing until age 25, the introduction of toxic chemicals at a young age may have permanent and dangerous effects.

Teenagers who smoke may be more likely to experience mood disorders and the permanent lowering of impulse control.

Nicotine has been shown to have an effect on the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain located at the anterior of the frontal lobe. According to goodtherapy.org, the adult brain tends to mature from the back to the front regions. This makes the prefrontal cortex the last area to make critical neural connections.

This statement doesn’t minimize the existence of the prefrontal cortex in young or even high-school age children. It certainly exists, but it is not fully prepared for the demands of adult life with its needs for advance planning and the ability to maintain singular focus.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for the control of emotions and impulses, as well as weighing alternatives and predicting possible outcomes that are a key part of good decision making. When teenagers smoke, their prefrontal cortexes may change, especially in critical ways that affect memory and their ability to concentrate.

Background on Vaping

E-cigarettes, or vape pens, are electronic devices that vaporize a liquid form of nicotine. The vapor that results can be inhaled, similarly to smoke. Although the use of cigarettes by teenagers has slowed down, e-cigarettes are quickly replacing traditional cigarettes as the desired way for teenagers to ingest nicotine.

These devices have been growing in popularity for the last several years according to the Centers for Disease Control. Although e-cigarettes are marketed as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, these devices contain many harmful chemicals and may cause as much or more damage than regular cigarettes.

While e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, they do contain high quantities of nicotine and other carcinogens. Some studies have shown that fruit flavored vape pens and e-cigarettes may even contain more carcinogens than regular cigarettes.

If you or your child have suffered permanent injuries or side effects and believe that e-cigarettes or vaping affect your brain function or development, you may qualify to hire an attorney and file a class action lawsuit regarding the dangers of nicotine use in teens.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.