According to a global study, the United States is ranked 53 out of 55 countries for vaping reduction. Louisiana is ranked third in high school vaping, with more than a quarter of Louisiana high school students having reported using electronic vapor products in the last 30 days. 

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Compare the Market, 25.3% of high school students within Louisiana admitted to using vape products at least once in the last month. That is the third highest rate in the nation. 

Steven Spicer, general manager of health at Compare the Market, talked about how the United States’ response to vaping compares to other countries, such as Australia. 

“The data shows a stark divide in how nations handle the vaping crisis,” Spicer said. “While countries like Australia use strict prescription-only models and high taxes to deter use, the U.S. remains one of the most accessible markets for e-cigarettes in the world”.

Loyola Assistant Professor and Family Nurse Practitioner Program Director Melissa Lebrun talked about the effects of vaping on the brain, more specifically brains that are still developing. 

“The adolescent brain continues maturing well into the mid-twenties, making it uniquely vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of nicotine delivered through vaping.” Lebrun said. “Adolescence is a critical developmental window during which major experience-dependent plasticity occurs in executive control and decision-making regions (in the brain),particularly the prefrontal cortex, and chronic nicotine exposure during this period has long-term consequences on cognitive behavior, including diminished attention span in adulthood.”

Lebrun goes on to say, “Studies have found that teens who vape on more than five days per month had significantly higher odds of developing persistent bronchitis symptoms such as chronic cough and shortness of breath, and current e-cigarette users had approximately 39% higher odds of self-reported asthma than non-users.”

Lebrun cites a study from Sciencedirect.com that states that “Research consistently points to two overlapping areas of promise for decreasing vaping at the state level: social-emotional skill development and peer-led delivery. Social-emotional skills curricula and school-based peer leader programming showed promise for preventing e-cigarette initiation.”

When it comes to why teens vape, there can be a few reasons available. A few Loyola students break it down to just a few main reasons. It could be because of social groups, affordability or just personal preference. Loyola students weigh in on the recent uptick. 

Loyola junior psychology major Ashley Pailet said, “I think the thing that compels high school students to start vaping is seeing their friends do it.”

Pailet added that she believes the flavors of electronic cigarettes to also be contributing to this. “I think it’s especially appealing to high school students because it smells and tastes good,” Pailet said.

“Vaping can also be a more accessible way (practically and legally) to unjust tobacco or marijuana than other typical means of smoking.” Pailet said. 

Personally, her views on vaping aren’t positive. Palait said, “I feel like vaping smells less gross than regular cigarettes but it is still super harmful. It’s not cool and it’s not something that people should be trying.”

Pailet offered her thoughts on state regulations when it comes to teen vaping. She provided points that would perhaps curb the usage. 

“There should definitely be regulations applied to vaping. There’s harmful health effects associated with it that can be so severe leading to death. Regulations are in place to protect people and this is a major detriment to adolescent and young adult health,” Palait said.

Senior Ryan Fisher offered another, more personal take on teen vaping. 

“I think high school students start vaping because they see their older peers do it and have heard about it since they were little,” Fisher said. “I’m not gonna lie, I myself was kind of a bad kid and used to hit vapes in high school. I’m not necessarily proud of it but it is something I used to do. I think that high schoolers vaping is kinda sad but it unfortunately will keep on happening until all vapes are banned or discontinued.”

When it came to whether vapes should be banned, Fisher said, “I think that there should be a ban on fruity or “fun” flavored vapes all over the country. I also think that brands like “Lost Mary” and other brands like it should also be banned.”