Health Risks of Vaping Other Drugs

There are significant health risks of vaping other drugs such as marijuana. Vaping these drugs poses a great risk of addiction and lung damage, particularly for teenagers. Parents should be aware of their children’s habits and look for the warning signs of vaping.

Why Vaping Other Drugs Is Dangerous

The dangers of vaping nicotine alone — including addiction and long-term lung damage — are significant enough, but vaping other drugs can have even worse health risks in some cases.

For example, marijuana vaping products often include compounds and oils to improve the vape flavor quality. However, when combined with the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana, these compounds can harm the lungs when heated and inhaled.

The health risks associated with vaping marijuana may be larger than simply smoking it. That is because the THC concentration in marijuana vape products tends to be much higher, bringing a greater addiction risk. It also increases the odds of side effects such as paranoia, anxiety, hallucinations, and panic attacks.

Mixing nicotine and marijuana can also be dangerous. The compounds found in both substances can cause lung irritation, other cardiovascular issues, and even death.

Vapes aren’t as tightly regulated as traditional cigarette products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) either, leading to other drugs and potentially harmful ingredients (like heavy metal particles) being included more easily.

Teens and Vaping Other Drugs

Vaping has steadily increased among teenagers in recent years. The most common drugs that teens vape are marijuana and nicotine.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA):

• About 20% of 12th graders report vaping with marijuana
• 19.4% of 10th graders are vaping with marijuana
• 7% of 8th graders vape marijuana

Teens are more likely to vape because of how popular it is with their friends and how easy it is to purchase. Sometimes marijuana and nicotine are mixed into a single substance and vaped together.

Parents must be aware of the risks of vaping, especially vaping other drugs like marijuana.

Does Vaping Lead To Other Drug Use?

Vape companies like JUUL often suggest that their products provide a path away from smoking. But among teenagers, the research shows the opposite: vaping is often a gateway to the use of traditional cigarettes and illicit drugs.

Researchers studying marijuana use have also found that teenagers who vape are more likely to begin smoking marijuana. The researchers argue that using nicotine can rewire the brain and make teens more susceptible to addictive substances than if they had never begun vaping in the first place.

These health risks are precisely why the FDA has taken steps to punish JUUL and other companies that allegedly marketed vape products to teenagers.

Vaping Other Drugs: Tips for Concerned Parents

If a teenager you love may be vaping drugs like marijuana, it is important to be vigilant.

Warning signs that your child might be vaping include:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Irritability
• Nosebleeds or increased thirst
• Strange odors you don’t recognize
• Strange packages that do not have labels
• Vaping equipment made to look like a flash drive

If your child is displaying any of these warning signs, explain the health risks of vaping so that they understand the long-term risks they could be exposing themselves to.

You also may want to take your child to a doctor if you are very concerned about their health. Recent vape-related injuries have put thousands of people in the hospital, and some have even died.

Get More Resources About the Dangers of Vaping

Parents can get a free case review if their child has suffered harm from vaping nicotine and/or other drugs. Companies like JUUL should never have marketed their products toward children, so they may be to blame for children being harmed.

Contact us today if you are worried that your children may be at health risk due to their vaping use or if they have been diagnosed with an injury after vaping. We will evaluate your case and help you determine the next steps.