Number of teens using E-cigarettes or vaping continues to rise even though it’s linked to lung injuries, death
HOUSTON - "A lot of kids are vaping. They’re estimating now one out of four high school students is vaping," said Samantha Boy with Parents Against Vaping and E-Cigarettes.
As of February 18, 2020, 68 deaths had been linked to vaping in 29 states and sent more than 2,000 people to the hospital.
"The main ingredient in almost all vapes is usually marketed as a bio-degradable or less toxic form of anti-freeze," said Dr. Peter Stout with Houston Forensic Science Center. "But it is still used in anti-freeze and a de-icer at the airport."
There’s no controls in place when it comes to how vapes are made or what is in them.
"These devices have things like botulism infections and staph infections, these things are manufactured in somebody’s garage with no controls whatsoever," Stout said. "You might as well be smoking somebody’s toenails."
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"My daughter started vaping when she was in middle school and I did not know what it was. I had no idea had never heard of it," Boy said.
Boy says her young daughter became addicted almost immediately.
"She would come in our room late at night begging for a cigarette, for a nicotine patch, she was having major withdrawals," said Boy.
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Experts urge parents to search their kids' bedrooms.
"It looks like an Apple Watch, but you pop it off and it’s actually a vape device," said Amber Carter with Southeast Harris County Coalition. "These are very popular, they kind of look like highlighters or whiteouts.
Teens can go on Amazon and purchase what looks like regular products like a Coke can.
"They can stash pills, weed, whatever they want in there," Carter said.