Leonna Heuring: Time is now to talk to youth about vaping dangers

If any family or community hasn’t yet been impacted by youth experimenting with vaping devices, just wait — because it will happen.

Better yet, don’t wait. Take the time now to talk to your kids about the dangers of vaping, and, hopefully, keep them from ever using.

And if you have already found yourself addressing the issue with your kids — and who’ve fortunately managed to escape use without injury or death — keep educating yourselves and communicating to protect them from further harm.

Use of vaping devices among youth in Missouri has increased so much that Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday signed an executive order to address the issue.

“Despite the laws currently in place, there has been a rapid increase in vaping among our youth,” Parson said in a news release. “People across the country are being hospitalized, some even losing their lives, with links to vaping. This is truly an epidemic, and it is critical that actions be taken to protect the health and well-being of Missouri’s youth.” 

As part of Parson’s order, the Departments of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Public Safety (DPS) are directed to use existing resources to develop a statewide campaign to educate, warn and deter the use of vaping devices among Missouri’s youth. The campaign is to be launched by Nov. 14.

The Executive Order also asks DHSS, DESE and DPS to review evidence regarding the cases and effects of vaping-related injuries, specifically among youth, and tailor their prevention and educational messaging to counter vaping industry marketing practices that target youth. 

Flavored nicotine products and targeted marketing have contributed to a significant rise in youth vaping. Recent data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show a rapid increase in the use of vaping products among youth, labeling such use as an epidemic. 

As of Oct. 1, the CDC has reported 1,080 lung injury cases and 18 deaths across the country this year associated with vaping products. In Missouri, 22 cases of vaping-related illnesses, including one death, have been reported as of Oct. 4, with the majority of these reports involving individuals age 15-24. 

Despite laws prohibiting the use of vaping devices among individuals under the age of 18, the Missouri Student Survey has reported increased use of such devices by middle school and high school students every year since 2014. The percentage of those reporting the use of a vaping device at some point in their lives increased from 19.1 percent in 2014 to 26.9 percent in 2018. 

Nationally, the use of vaping devices among high school students increased by 78 percent from 2017 to 2018 according to the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey. 

These statistics are alarming, and it’s even scarier to think what they would be if they included the age group of children younger than 15 who are also experimenting with vaping devices.

Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said many young people do not believe there are immediate or long-term risks associated with vaping. Using e-cigarettes has become a gateway to traditional cigarette smoking for adolescents, and it’s led to dangerous addictions, he said.

In addition to being dangerous to their health, it’s also illegal for minors to be vaping and for retailers to sell these products to anyone under age 18 under state law.

I also imagine many adults do not believe or know these real risks that have been identified with youth vaping.

Please, parents, grandparents and guardians, take the time to educate yourself on the dangers of vaping and share the information with your school-aged kids (yes, even grade schoolers). There’s lots of information out there, but you can start at cdc.gov.

Open the dialogue with your family, community and schools. Together, we can work to educate and keep our kids safe.

Leonna Heuring is co-editor of the Standard Democrat.