A few years ago, E-cigarettes were shown off to the public as a safe and less addicting alternative to traditional cigarettes. These alternatives have been exposed in recent times as posing many significant health risks to young people across the United States. The fact that these health risks are avoidable gives cause for the most concern. Coupling the possibility of addiction with the long-term harm to brain development and respiratory function, e-cigarettes can cause even more damage to the body than other tobacco products. Even breathing e-cigarette aerosol that someone else has exhaled poses potential health risks.
Brain Risks
During adolescence, the part of your brain that is in control of decision-making and impulses is not fully developed. The saying “young and dumb” often refers to the fact that younger individuals are more likely to take risks with their health and safety, including the use of nicotine and other drugs. This behavior can lead these young adults to be at risk for long-term, long-lasting effects of exposing their developing brains to nicotine. These risks include nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine can cause eventual harm to the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.
Who Uses?
It was a common misconception that the use of e-cigarettes may protect those younger people from using tobacco cigarettes. Through studies, it’s been recorded that non-smoking youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to try conventional cigarettes in the future than non-smoking youth who do not use e-cigarettes. Among high school students and young adults who use two or more tobacco products, a majority use both e-cigarettes and burned tobacco products. Traditional cigarettes are responsible for the overwhelming majority of tobacco-related deaths and disease in the United States.
Addiction
Did you know that until around age 25 your brain is actively growing? Each time you create a new memory or learn a new skill, stronger connections are formed between your brain cells. Younger peoples’ brains form these brain cell connections faster than older adults’ matured brains. Addiction is considered to be a form of learning and therefore can lead to younger people becoming addicted more easily than grown adults. This can make the perfect grounds for these exposed adolescents to engage in other addictive substances such as cocaine.
Learn more information about how to protect your health by reaching out to your local agent, today.