A survey sheds light on the harmful effects of vaping among youth.
“In Secondary 3, 4 and 5, 1/3 of young people vapotage” recalls the trailer for the survey Un écran de fumée, available free of charge on Noovo.ca. Faced with the problem of nicotine vaping, which can lead to addiction, the need to inform parents is important.
The production of Un écran de fumée by the Conseil québécois sur le tabac et la santé is part of this effort. Among other things, the survey lifts the veil on the damaging effects of vaping on mental health, to help you see things more clearly.
A portrait of the problem of vapotage through three touching stories
Un écran de fumée unveils the hidden face of vapotage among young people in Quebec today, by collecting the touching stories of three nicotine addicts, all high school students. Nausicaa, Heidi and Antoine candidly share their experiences with vaping. Like many teenagers, peer influence played a role in their initiation to vaping. “When I started vaping, it was really to include myself in the gang,” shares Nausicaa, who continued, thinking - wrongly - that it would ease her anxiety.
This fieldwork is enriched by the contributions of several experts. They address various topics:
The components of a vaporizer.
The complexity of addiction.
The close link with the use of other substances.
The marketing strategies used to appeal to young people.
Addiction, the main harm of vaping
Because their brains are still developing up to the age of 25, young people are more likely to develop nicotine addiction. The survey provides a better understanding of the practical impact of addiction on teenagers' daily lives and schooling. Heidi testifies to the mental space that vaping takes up when she's in class. “When I'm in maths, I just think about the break... In the meantime, there's stuff going on in class and it's super distracting.”
Breaking the myth that vaping doesn't reduce anxiety
One of the other strengths of Un écran de fumée is that it highlights the harm that vaping does to mental health, helping to break down false beliefs. A person who vapors has an increased risk of developing psychological disorders (depression, anxiety). Nausicaa's story bears witness to this. The 14-year-old began to suffer from anxiety when she started vaping. “I thought vaping was helping me, but in the end it made my anxiety worse, because I was hiding things from my parents... Sometimes I'd notice that my cardio wasn't as good, and that made my anxiety even worse”.
An important need to inform parents
Faced with all the issues associated with vaping, you have the power to exert a positive influence in your teen's decision not to take up vaping. Exploring the phenomenon from every angle, Un écran de fumée (Smoke Screen) aims to help you gain a clearer understanding, and ultimately, to open the discussion with your teenager in a caring way. Sharing a viewing together could be an ideal and fun way to address the issue and strengthen the bond of trust.
Have you already listened to the survey? Visit Let's TalkNow.ca, a complementary tool that gives you concrete advice and resources.
