We’ve heard over and over that smoking cigarettes around the kids can be harmful for them. But what about electronic cigarettes? If you’re trying to quit smoking or have chosen to vape instead, what dangers are you putting your children in? The research and study of vaping isn’t complete yet, so while we aren’t 100% sure that the secondhand vapor from electronic cigarettes isn’t harmless, there are some things you should know before you take up vaping around the kids:
You will find 100s of electronic cigarette brands and 1000s of flavors for the liquid they use. But the FDA has only regulated them for the past 10 years. This means that nobody is 100% certain what you could be ingesting exactly, or what you may be putting out there in the second-hand stage.
Several studies have concluded that electronic cigarettes are safer than the traditional style of cigarettes, being that there are less cancer-causing agents in them. The vapor that is emitted by electronic cigarettes isn’t filled with all the chemicals and toxins that the smoke from traditional cigarettes have. But research has determined that when the liquid inside e-cigs is heated up at a high voltage, it does create chemicals. And now that the FDA is regulating these liquids, they have found that complete list of ingredients is not on the labels and the cartridges, the refills, and the aerosols do contain chemicals that are harmful.
Children that are exposed to second-hand smoke of traditional cigarettes are prone to be sick more with bronchitis, colds, ear infections, pneumonia, and more. Vaping does not eliminate all hazards and risks around kids. In fact, they share some of the same risks such as secondhand exposure. While the research isn’t complete, any expert will advise not to put your child at risk until more is known.
A risk that traditional cigarettes don’t impose on children is accidental ingestion of the flavored liquids. Over 250 calls were made in 2011 to poison control centers around the country. By the end of 2015 that number had increased to just under 2900. In 2016, a study found that 14% of the calls to the National Poison Data System calls were either nicotine or tobacco related calls for children under the age of six.
Kids like things that go click, light up, and smoke comes out of it, like electric trains. And electronic cigarettes are attractive to them too. The CDC has published their findings that one out of every five teens has tried traditional cigarettes and from 2011 to 2012, the increase of how many have tried e-cigs doubled.
The various flavors of the vapor liquids, especially the dessert flavors, attracts the teens. And without any federal regulation, they are easier than traditional cigarettes for teens to purchase. If they live in a city or state that does regulate the sale of them (under 18 forbidden) they just simply order them online.
