A panel of medical experts recently gathered in collaboration with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, to discuss the growing epidemic of teen vaping, with a particular focus on its impact on Black youth. The conversation, hosted by Shameika Rhymes on BlackDoctor.org, shed light on current trends, health risks, and strategies to combat this issue.
Current Black Youth Vaping Trends and Popularity
Dr. Oliver Brooks, MD, the chief of pediatrics at Watts Health Corp., highlighted that while vaping use has somewhat diminished overall, it remains a significant problem, especially among Black teens. He noted, “We generally have higher rates of morbidity and mortality problems with using these devices, the e-cigarettes and true tobacco.”
Dr. Christa Wright, Director of the Center for Toxicology and Human Health at the Chemical Insights Research Institute added, “5.5 percent of Black high school students and 5.7 percent of Black middle school students are using the product. This is affecting parents, teachers, school administrators, and school resource officers across the country.”
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The experts also touched on various factors contributing to vaping’s popularity among Black teens, including peer pressure, marketing tactics, and misconceptions about safety.
Health Risks of Vaping
The panel emphasized that vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking. Dr. Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH director of Tobacco Intervention Programs at UNC School of Medicine explained, “They’re not only inhaling nicotine-laden aerosols, but other harmful substances that can alter their health.”
Dr. Brooks added, “When you do nicotine through an e-cigarette versus through tobacco, you get a higher concentration of nicotine going into the bloodstream faster. This can lead to more addiction, and it can lead to more brain development issues.”
Other health risks mentioned included:
– Lung damage and respiratory issues
– Cardiovascular problems
– Oral health effects
– Impaired cognitive function
– Increased susceptibility to infections
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Marketing and Social Media Influence
The experts expressed concern about the targeted marketing of vaping products to Black communities. Dr. Yolanda Lawson, MD, Immediate Past President of the National Medical Association, stated, “I feel there are very effective social media campaigns that are taken up. It’s the targeting of the marketing to our communities, to our youth, to our children.”
Dr. Goldstein added, “We’ve done research that shows that the [flavors] make kids think that they’re less harmful, they’re more likely to try them, and then you combine that with the marketing that uses all kinds of things like sexuality and around social influences and peer pressure that really encourage this as if it’s a harmless issue.”
Strategies to Combat Black Teen Vaping
The panel discussed various approaches to address the vaping epidemic:
Education and Awareness
Dr. Lawson emphasized starting education early: “I think in elementary school, is when we start talking about some of these health implications with vaping and cigarette smoking—it should be a broad discussion.”
Policy Changes
Dr. Wright suggested, “We can ban disposable vapes like Elf Bar. These are the cheaper ones, and they get thrown away. We can put warnings on those products. We can work on elimination of vaping in schools anywhere, any place, anytime by students, faculty, visitors.”
Healthcare Provider Involvement
Dr. Brooks stressed the importance of healthcare providers being knowledgeable about vaping risks: “Studies show that, in general, a healthcare provider’s recommendation or statement is the strongest inducer of a change in behavior.”
Peer-to-Peer Interventions
The experts agreed that empowering teens who have quit vaping to become advocates could be highly effective. Dr. Brooks suggested, “Find someone who was vaping, they stopped them, talk to them, you know, something like that.”
Parental Involvement
The panel advised parents to approach the topic with understanding and open communication. Dr. Goldstein recommended, “Examining their vaping behavior is one thing too, ensuring that they lower their frequency of use and then shortly cut off the vaping and access to that to the device.”
The conversation highlighted the urgent need for a multi-faceted approach to combat teen vaping, especially among Black youth. By combining education, policy changes, healthcare interventions, and community involvement, there is hope for reducing the impact of this growing epidemic on future generations.
