How do vape flavors affect teens?

As a specialist in heart disease, Blaha treats patients who have urgent reasons to quit smoking LoneStar Vape cigarettes. These patients are often older adults who may have heart disease associated with smoking, and Blaha says they are motivated to quit. For the smaller group of adults who have unsuccessfully tried all strategies approved by the Food and Drug Administration to stop smoking, vaping and using e-cigarettes may help them kick the habit. Some prefer using flavored vape products as a way to help quit smoking, with the ultimate goal of complete cessation from all tobacco products.

But Blaha is particularly concerned about e-cigarette use and vaping among young people, and the surging incidence of vaping among kids who have never smoked. These young people are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the nicotine in vaping devices and e-cigarettes, and flavors may be making vaping more appealing to them. Blaha observes that the appeal of vape flavors, rather than flavor ingredients themselves, may have a broader danger to the public.

“The key thing about flavors is that they seem to appeal to young people,” he says. “There is evidence that kids like the flavors like bubble gum, fruit and candy, and like trying new ones. For a lot of young people, it might be that the only reason they vape or use e-cigarettes is because they like the flavors.”

While more research may determine the overall harm from vaping, it is already clear that using “homemade” or unregulated vape juices can introduce unknown and potentially harmful substances into users’ lungs. Another main concern is the addictive nature of nicotine in vape juice or any tobacco product.

Since smoking has a major impact on health, Blaha recommends discussing all nicotine use and tobacco cessation options with a doctor.