Margot's Story
Margot, Pennsylvania
We are a non-smoking family and have taught our two boys how bad smoking is for them. Early on, they were disgusted by the smell and “look” of people smoking.
In about 2017 and 2018, my boys became attracted to vaping - the sweet smell, the sleek and artistic look. Vapes are specifically designed to be very cool to the eyes and satisfying in the hands - especially young hands that are very into devices - whether it’s a phone, controller or vape. Vapes are “cool” without the bad rap of smoking cigarettes.
The idea of being able to hide vapes is also intriguing to a young person. The vape industry has made hiding them very easy to do - they’re in hoodie strings, look like pens and USB drives. Kids are susceptible, especially those who really want to be accepted by any crowd, and think it makes them appear cool and independent.
At 14, my son was vaping nicotine, switching w/in weeks to THC laden vapes pushed by the vaping crowd. Not having a job, he began stealing from us. Detention, residential drug treatment, psychiatric stay, step down program - over $250,000 spent on treatment paid for by Medicaid over almost two years. Upon returning to our home, he made it about three weeks before starting to vape again, throwing up daily (nic sick) getting used to the nicotine, before adding THC - a 30 - 35% THC cherry flavored juice. At 17, he sleeps at home, but is out all day, coming home high at night. We can’t be sure, but he seems to be graduating to harder drugs through neighborhood connections. Without a doubt, vaping started it all.
Too bad, right? When this son was 14, his brother was 12. He looked up to his older brother as his protector and main influencer, who he’d do anything for. He started carrying vapes for his older brother, getting hits off of them, being led into the life, getting other young kids addicted. He’s been away from us for over 6 months in court-ordered, residential treatment b/c of constant running away, searching for vapes, (including stealing my credit card and getting a homeless person to buy him one) hitting a police officer, suicide ideation; vaping strikes again.
Vaping began the destruction of our family. Along with our boys feeling lost to us now, my husband and I both suffer from PTSD from all the police and emergency room intervention. The cost to Medicaid is over $400,000. Yet, when you search vaping, you find: “It's safe! At the end of the day, when you switch to vaping you can inhale or not; it's up to you. Either way you'll be able to enjoy the taste, and you can reproduce the sensations you got from smoking. That's the most important thing, after all.”
Total B.S.
There are other ways for adults to attempt to quit smoking. Flavored vapes introduce mostly young people to tobacco use. Full stop. Those who say otherwise are complicit in the nicotine and THC addiction of vulnerable young people.