The Struggle To Quit
Used by Creative Commons licence. Photo from https://pixabay.com/photos/e-cigarette-vaping-1301664/
Vapes were allegedly created to help adult smokers quit smoking cigarettes but, as a result of marketing quickly taken a negative turn as the younger population has abused their use.
Thanks to vaping, I am one of the millions of American teens currently struggling with nicotine addiction.
I first tried a Juul when it became popular during my eighth-grade year. The buzz felt good so I would hit my friends’ when I was with them. Flavors like mint, blueberry, mango, and strawberry attracted me to do it more often.
I want to quit because I am worried about my health. I can already feel the difference in my lungs when I run.
I didn’t think it would go this far and follow me into my sophomore year, but this summer I started doing it more heavily when I bought a vape of my own.
I’m sad to say that since then I’ve wasted most of my money on vape products, but it’s not the money that is most concerning to me.
I can already feel the difference in my lungs when I run.
I am trying to quit because I’m worried about my health.
Quitting has been a wild experience. One day I feel good about not doing it and the next minute I’m craving it.
The mental part of quitting is easy. I know that this is not something that I want to waste my money and risk my health over any more.
On the other hand, the physical part of quitting is rough. I can go all day without it but eventually I will get a headache and start shaking because my body has become dependent on it.
Most teens and young adults first began using these products with no previous exposure to nicotine. Teen smoking rates had been falling for years before the advent of Juul and other vaping products. But with their high nicotine content and kid-friendly flavors, a new generation of young people are again dooming themselves to a lifetime of addiction because of vaping.
The mental part of quitting is easy, I know that this is not something that I want to waste my money and risk my health over anymore.
“I honestly think the reason why vapes are so dangerous is because we don’t know the long term effects. They just might be as bad, or worse, than cigarettes,” said Tyrone health and physical education teacher Tom Coleman.
Vapes were allegedly invented to help adult smokers quit cigarettes. However, researchers at Stanford University looked at thousands of social media posts, emails, and other mostly online advertisements and came to the conclusion that Juul’s marketing “was patently youth-oriented.”
At least partially as a result of this marketing, young people like me have become some of Juul’s best customers.
The legal age to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes in Pennsylvania is currently 18. It soon could be 21, but online stores often don’t ask for proof of age so anyone under the age of 18 can easily buy vape products online.
If you haven’t had a nicotine addiction in the past, don’t waste your money on a Juul or any other vaping products. Getting into an addiction just because everyone else is doing it is simply not good for your mental or physical health.
I'm a sophomore and this is my first year and Eagle Eye. I joined because it seemed fun and telling stories is fun to me. My writing also needs improvement....
Taylor Laber • Oct 28, 2019 at 12:52 pm
my mom has struggled with quitting cigarettes for her entire adult life. she got hooked when she was simply a teenager, and continued to rely on them as an anti-stresser (which simply, by science, isnt true). when vapes came out, my mother tried it out and used it– however, it only strengthened my moms addiction more it had seemed, so she just swapped back to cigarettes. she also heard the many stories related to these things blowing up and malfunctioning, which helped her quit.
regardless, my point is i understand what you are going through and how much of a physical hurdle quitting vaping will be, especially when your body reacts violently to the lack of it. however, as people who quit cigarettes say, it will be worth it. i wish you well and i hope you quit soon! thank you for writing this article and sharing your story
SHERRI STAYER • Oct 24, 2019 at 10:53 am
Nate,
Great job on this article! I hope your peers pay attention and listen to your advice. I am the Executive Director of the Lung Disease Foundation in Altoona and we have many resources for education and cessation. Please reach out to me if I can be of any assistance.
I commend you for speaking out on this topic!
Stacie Watson • Oct 23, 2019 at 7:51 pm
Nice job Nate! The best thing is you own what you are doing and going forward to fix it. Keep it going you can only go up! ❤