One of the biggest obstacles you will have to overcome is the fact that your teen already thinks vaping is safe. The truth is – it’s not.
Does an e-cigarette release smoke like a cigarette?
When the electronic cigarette heats up the e-liquid, many chemical reactions occur that create and release hazardous elements in the form of an aerosol or vapor. Nicotine and water vapor are only 2 of the elements that have been identified. Compounds that increase risk of developing cancer have been identified in the vapor, as well as particles and nanoparticles of metals originating from the metal components of the e-cigarette. The wires that transfer energy from the battery to the atomizer and the filament that holds the heat can be made of copper, tin, nickel, chromium, silica, silver, and iron.
Researchers have analyzed the vapor from several different types of vape pens and vape mods and found the presence of these same metals in higher concentrations than what would be in an equivalent amount of traditional cigarette smoke.[i] Certain metals that are considered essential minerals, such as iron, nickel, and chromium, are safe to eat. However, breathing them into your lungs is quite dangerous. Inhalation of silica particles or dust causes inflammation damage to the lung tissue, leading to a chronic respiratory disease called silicosis that cannot be cured. This means that repeated vape pen use can damage your lungs permanently.
[i] Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P (2013) Metal and Silicate Particles Including Nanoparticles Are Present in Electronic Cigarette Cartomizer Fluid and Aerosol. PLoS ONE 8(3): e57987. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057987