Vaping in teens is quickly reaching epidemic proportions, with teens using electronic nicotine devices at alarming rates. While many young adults believe that vaping is a harmless habit, the truth about vaping is that developing a nicotine addiction can lead to a host of risks and negative effects that can severely impact the rest of their lives.
As troubling as the exponential growth in teen vaping may be, there are ways you can help your adolescent overcome this addiction.
Feeling overwhelmed? Talk it out with someone who gets it. Text 510-256-9420 and we’ll get back to you between Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm, or contact us at Project Eden.
Rapid Growth of Vaping in Teens
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, electronic cigarettes have become the primary tobacco product used by young adults since 2014. Nationwide studies reveal that in 2023, 1 in 10 high school students reported vaping at least once in the past month, as well as 1 in 22 middle school students.
Starting nicotine at such a young age puts young people at significantly higher risk for severe and long-lasting nicotine addiction. In turn, nicotine addiction can create lasting mental health effects that influence young adults for years to come.
How Vaping Affects the Teenage Brain
Like other forms of teen substance use, teenage vaping can create lasting brain changes that alter the way people process rewards, learn new skills, and facilitate good judgment. This is particularly true for youth substance use, as adolescents and young adults are at a critical phase of healthy brain development.
When youth vape nicotine, this psychoactive substance enters the bloodstream through the lungs and travels to the brain. Nicotine then latches on to receptors within the brain, which in turn leads to an increased release of neurotransmitters such as:
- Dopamine: The reward and motivation neurotransmitter.
- Acetylcholine: A neurotransmitter associated with attention and cognition.
- Norepinephrine: Also known as adrenaline, this neurotransmitter leads to heightened arousal.
All of this contributes to the brief rush that is caused by nicotine, but the effects are extremely short-lived. As youth become dependent on nicotine, their brains adjust to these higher neurotransmitter levels, to the point that they need nicotine or other psychoactive substances to feel a sense of reward, to be able to focus or to have the energy to get through the day.
Nicotine Dependence
When the brain adjusts to the effects of nicotine, it leads to a dependence on this drug to feel normal. Psychologists label this as a tobacco use disorder, which includes symptoms such as:
- An inability to cut down or stop vaping on your own
- Withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop vaping
- Tolerance to vaping
- Worsening physical or mental health problems due to vaping
- Continued vaping despite mounting personal consequences
People who develop a nicotine addiction can have extreme difficulty stopping without the help of trained mental health professionals.
Altered Reward Processing
Nicotine causes a spike in dopamine in young people who vape. This sudden increase in dopamine causes structural changes in the brain, which makes it much more difficult to feel a sense of reward for activities not related to substance use.
This spike in dopamine is associated with nearly every addictive substance, including both prescription drugs and illicit drugs. It plays a large role in why people return to vaping over and over again, and why so many teenagers with nicotine addiction begin to lose interest in activities such as school, sports, or even socialization.
Increased Risk of Teen Substance Use
The reward processing changes caused by vaping can also substantially increase the risk that young people develop a substance use disorder. Multiple studies have demonstrated that young people who use nicotine experience heightened rewarding effects from drug and alcohol use, making their risk of developing a substance use problem substantially higher.
Helping Teens Understand the Truth About Vaping
Adolescence is a period of exploration, curiosity, and even risk-taking. But when teens vape, they often place themselves at undue risk for future problems without even knowing it. By providing teens with information about the true harms of vaping, you can help them make safer decisions that help them to thrive in the years to come.
Ready to learn how to cope with pressure? Reach out to us at Project Eden and change your life today.
