Curiosity: a keen sense of awareness, a desire to learn about something new.
Along with the seeking of peer approval, and the influencers and advertising on platforms like Tik Tok, curiosity has been a key driver for young people to begin vaping. Other factors include parental tolerance and smoking, stress, and the availability of appealing flavours.
Electronic cigarettes continue to grow in popularity (Wakefield 2023) despite the strong evidence for the harms of e-cigarettes to physical health and the growing evidence for their mental health harms. This conversation is perhaps a little more formal as it outlines some of the key findings of the links between vaping and mental health.
E-cigarette use is harmful. Ingredient lists are often inaccurate. Regulation is challenging. Studies have found that not only do e-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals found in pesticides, plastics, antifreeze, and disinfectant, they also contain nicotine (Larcombe et al., 2022). While some vapes are marketed as “nicotine-free”, analyses reveal that many products do contain nicotine. Since vaping involves the heating of a liquid that then forms a vapour, it is easy for toxic particles to penetrate deep into one’s lungs. This toxic vapour can damage lungs and brain function.
Multiple studies have established a correlation between vaping and depressive symptoms, suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and exacerbation of pre-existing mental health conditions compared to non-users (Javed et al., 2022, Truong and Cotton 2023, ABC News 2022).
These studies have consistently found that:
- Adolescents who vape tend to report higher rates of depressive symptoms compared to non-vaping peers.
- This link appears to be bi-directional (i.e. vaping increases existing depressive symptoms and can cause depressive symptoms). This is a finding consistent across all studies.
- Depressive symptoms are a heightened risk for females who vape.
- Those who vape also suffer from an increase in suicide attempts. This is heightened for males.
- There is increased suicide ideation for those who vape, which is heightened for young women.
- Nicotine coupled with the release of dopamine when vaping makes it addictive.
Further, emerging research has found links between vaping and mental health concerns, with direct negative impacts on conduct problems, ADHD, impulsivity, mood disorders, gaming disorders, concentration and psychological well-being.
Given that about 1 in 4 Australian teenagers (Troung and Cotton 2023) is vaping, I feel it is critical that we work together to minimise harm. The College does this through vaping seminars for students, such as those in Extended Form, and for adults through Insights. We can each also minimise harm by initiating open dialogue with our children , leaning into their needs and actively listening. We can reduce harm though advocacy to and public messaging with governments. We can do this by offering preventative and alternative strategies for coping with stress, anger and negativity. We can do this by practically supporting young people through cessation programs. We can reduce the use and harmful impacts of vapes. It is essential we do this.
Jesus invites us to come to him when we feel weary or burdened, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:7). In Christ we are loved. True belonging is found in relationship with Jesus.
Our belonging does not depend on anything we do – it is based on grace. Rather than seeking a sense of belonging through vaping with peers, we can point our young people to the one who accepts them, loves them and in whom ultimate fulfilment can be found.
References
Carbonell, R., & Hobbins, R. (2024, September 2). Teens who vape more likely to have poor mental health, new report shows. ABC News. [21]
Han, G., & Son, H. (2022). A systematic review of socio-ecological factors influencing current e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults. Addictive Behaviors, 135, 107425. doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107425 [43, 46-50]
Javed, S., Usmani, S., Sarfraz, Z., Sarfraz, A., Hanif, A., Firoz, A. et al. (2022). A scoping review of vaping, e-cigarettes and mental health impact: Depression and suicidality. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, 12(3), 33–39. [31, 50-53]
Truong, M., & Cotton, E. (2023). The impact of vaping on adolescent mental health. Australian Institute of Family Studies. [84, 85]
Wakefield, M., Haynes, A., Tabbakh, T., Scollo, M., & Durkin, S. (2023). Current vaping and current smoking in the Australian population aged 14+ years: February 2018–March 2023. Canberra: Department of Health and Aged Care. Retrieved from www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/current-vaping-and-smoking-in-the-australian-population-aged-14-years-or-older-february-2018-to-march-2023?language=en [7, 45, 89, 90]
