Just a decade ago, "vaping" was barely part of the American vernacular. Today it’s a national public health crisis. Though electronic cigarettes were initially introduced as a smoking cessation tool for adult consumers of combustible tobacco, more than one in four high school students report that they vape.
Vaping poses serious and avoidable health risks to youth, from immediate lung injury to long-term damage, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Further, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), nicotine use among young people can harm long-term brain development and lead to a lifetime of addiction.
Due to savvy marketing by Big Tobacco, many teens are unaware of the health risks of vaping. The University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS Public Schools, and the local network, FOX4, held a Teen Vaping Town Hall to discuss the health risks of vaping and address teens’ questions.