Making Vaping Vanish
By Brandon Matthews
Like a rabbit in a hat, Joe Camel and the Marlboro man both seemed to have vanished. However, there was a time where smoking cigarettes was as common as chewing gum. There were even ads with statements like “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.” “Chesterfield cigarettes are as pure as the water you drink.” One brand even had a safety warning on the package stating “Not recommended for children under 6.” In spite of misleading ads from companies looking for nothing but profit to the detriment of our health, over time the truth revealed the harm we were causing our bodies, and fewer people smoke cigarettes than ever before.
However, history, as it always does, finds a way to repeat itself. Today, vaping using e-cigarettes is more popular than ever before. It is marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. Ads target young people presenting vaping as the cool new thing, and as generations before with traditional cigarettes, they are buying it. But did you know that the average vape delivers more nicotine per puff than the average cigarette? This makes it easy to get addicted to vaping quickly. Did you know that it’s not only nicotine being consumed through vapes but also marijuana? Did you know a vape contains ingredients like lead, acetone, nickel, formaldehyde, and more? For some reason advertisers don’t share this information.
Just as said by George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So today as we look back, let’s respond to the present. Let’s do today For Tomorrow. Here are some ways you can be proactive:
- Be educated. Many are still confused about the dangers of vaping. We have been told it’s better for us than cigarettes. We have been told it’s an aid to help quit smoking cigarettes. We have been told it’s just flavored water vapor. Then some say it’s dangerous, and we shouldn’t use them. What’s the truth? This is exactly what the tobacco industry wants. They want us to be uneducated and confused. Get educated. We offer many resources at comto help you educate yourself.
- Talk with your kids about the dangers of vaping. Don’t just tell them to say no, explain why.
- Equip your kids with effective ways to resist temptation and peer pressure.
- Provide professional help and support. Our partners at Compact offer free vaping and cessation classes to help teens overcome addiction to THC or Nicotine products. Truth Initiative offers a free and discreet text service to help aid in quitting. Both of these resources are available on our website.
We all want to live happy and healthy lives. Let’s make decisions that will help us and others achieve that goal. Together we can help make vaping vanish. For Tomorrow exists to EDUCATE and EMPOWER youth, families, and communities to ERADICATE drugs and prevent youth substance use. We work hard to help make Alabaster an even greater community than it already is. If you would like to make a difference with us you can learn more at alabasterfortomorrow.com or email us at [email protected].
Brandon Matthews is the For Tomorrow Program Director.