The Underbelly of Smoking Habits & How It Changed "Their" Life.

By: Steven Young & Charles Thomas

November 2, 2022

E cigarettes has become a rising trend in recent years. Especially among teenagers this article is a sneak peek into how they directly impact these teenagers lives.

This is a high school senior who has been smoking for years now, she became enticed early by intensive e cigarettes marketing and branding tactics. However while not being attracted to smoking that early on, feeding into her childlike mentality at the time she tried the flavored vapor.

*This is an imagine of the vapor that comes out of E Cigarettes

This is a high school senior who has been smoking for years now, she became enticed early by intensive e cigarettes marketing and branding tactics. However while not being attracted to smoking that early on, feeding into her childlike mentality at the time she tried the flavored vapor

“So, the first time I ever hit a vape I was like 12 but it was like three times. And I liked the flavor. But I was like, no I don't really see myself smoking,” anonymous said. “And then this probably was 2020 It was the first time I smoke. I had smoke, like a vape I hit it enough to like actually get Nic high and I was like, oh snap this like a weird feeling. But I'm like, i like it,”

At this point in this students life, shes pretty experienced. Having the ability to differentiate types of highs, and the different feelings that come from smoking. She not only made the conscious choice to use it but more than once resulting in a chain smoking habit. One question: Where did she get it from? She explains to us her methods in getting these devices, and the policies that are in place. The easier it is to get these devices, the more it feeds into her addictive habits

“There was only one time where everyone in the store in the booth asked me for my ID.” She says, “But I was like, No, I left that jawn in a car. And he still gave it to me”.

State Legislation states that “Sale of electronic cigarettes to persons under age 21 (or under age 18 if military member or veteran) prohibited.” as well as “ sells a tobacco product to any minor” This doesn't just include tobacco product it includes the definition and states an electronic cigarette falls under jurisdiction for lawful detainment. (18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6305(a) (2022) There are obvious reasons why these are actual rules and we can see the evidence as the student talks about her experience undergoing a phenomenon called “greening out.”

*The flavors of the vape come in child luring fruity flavors such as the image above.

“I hit her cart now goes I got a high tolerance. So I took like 10 big hits.” She says. "I fell asleep probably like for like 10 minutes would have felt like but it was like a solid 45 But when I say I would back up I was high. When I took them 10 hits everybody was in my room. I was in the bathroom for like 45 minutes and I didn't even realize I was because I lost track of time.”

She explains the plethora of emotions they went through as well as how much control they were in motor skill wise. Someone always has the option to partake in drugs however after a certain amount of time dedicated to this addiction, it feels impossible for the subject to stop and the feeling of being trapped in the act feeds back into the high they receive.

Teens don't think they're addicted until they are. Vaping is too easy to get into and its additive nature only adds more allure to it. They'll often say one hit and im done but that one hit of a vape can change your life forever.

“ The first time I ever hit a vape I was like 12 but it was like three times. And I liked the flavor.”

*This is a picture of a vape discarded on the ground, and with no way to properly recycle them they are put to waste.