The Berrien County Health Department and the Voice Change Hope Alliance are spreading the word about the dangers of underage vaping.
Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller tells us about 14% of Michigan high school students use e-cigarettes, with more than half admitting they’ve at least tried them. Miller says vape use among the underage can result in real health problems.
“Impaired brain development, affecting attention, learning and impulse control, increased anxiety and depression, respiratory issues, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, obviously the nicotine addiction if you’re vaping nicotine, and exposure to toxic substances that could be within the vape, at least within the juice,” Miller said.
Electronic vapor devices heat a liquid and produce an aerosol or mix of small particles in the air. Vapes are typically composed of a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold the liquid. Miller says they come in a variety of shapes and could be disguised as something else.
“The concerns we have with vaping and vape use is the delivery method of whatever you’re delivering it, whether you’re smoking it or you’re vaping it, you can deliver a lot more chemicals in a vape device than you could with something that you would have to smoke. And that’s concerning because we’re seeing record levels of THC included into products. We’re seeing people testing high with nicotine levels that would be nearly impossible to do if you were only using cigarettes.”
Miller tells us vaping seems like it started as a way for smokers to quit, but it’s become more than that.
“You can order some of these devices online. They’re very discreet now, or they can be very discreet. Some are pretty obvious, but some can be disguised as highlighters, smartwatches, or even a USB or a flash drive.”
E-cigarettes were the most used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the U.S. in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Miller says the Berrien County Health Department offers resources to parents and teens looking to quit vaping. We have a link to more information at our website.
