Vaping is super popular these days, but parents are asking a big question: are vape companies trying to get Black teens hooked? Even though Black teens vape less than white teens right now, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the numbers are rising for Black teens. This makes experts worry that vape companies might be using sneaky marketing tricks to target Black youth.

Why You Should Be Concerned

Vapes vs. Cigarettes: Not An Upgrade

Vaping might seem like a safer choice than cigarettes, but that’s not quite true. Regular cigarettes are loaded with harmful chemicals, like tar and carbon monoxide, that messes with your lungs, heart, and overall health. Vapes don’t have those exact chemicals, but the chemicals they do contain are also not good for your teen.

Nicotine Salts: The Quicker Hook

Unlike cigarettes that use whole tobacco leaves, vapes often use nicotine salts. These salts enter your body faster, giving you a quicker nicotine rush. This rush feels good to your brain, giving your teen the desire to vape more and more. It makes it easier to get addicted, which is why early conversations about how to quit smoking or vaping are so important for long-term health and prevention.

Flavors And Menthol: Masking The Problem

Vapes come in all sorts of sweet and fruity flavors that are super appealing to teens. This is one of the concerns. Tobacco companies once targeted Black communities by marketing menthol cigarettes in their neighborhoods. Menthol makes cigarettes taste minty, so they’re easier to start smoking and harder to quit. Vape companies may be using the same marketing tricks with flavored vapes.

Spotting The Problem: Vape vs. Weed Vape

Another tricky thing is that vapes for tobacco and weed can look very similar. Marijuana, is often much stronger today than it was in the past. It’s important to know what kind of vape your teen might be using. If you can’t tell by looking at it, the best thing to do is have an honest conversation with your teen.

The Teenage Brain: Prime Time For Addiction

Teens’ brains are still growing, especially the parts that help them make decisions and control their impulses. This makes it easier for teens to get addicted to things like nicotine in vapes. The quick rush of nicotine from vapes makes the brain think vaping is super rewarding, which makes them want to vape more to keep feeling good.

Vaping And Your Health: Not A Good Mix

Vaping can hurt your health in a few ways:

• Heart Trouble: Vaping can damage your heart and blood vessels, making it more likely your teen could have a heart attack or stroke as adults.
• DNA Damage: Studies suggest that vaping might mess with your teen’s DNA, which could lead to health problems down the road.

Vaping To Chill Out: Not The Answer

Some teens vape to relieve stress, but it’s not a healthy way to cope. There are much better options, like exercise, relaxation techniques, or talking to a trusted adult.

Parents Against Vaping (PAVe): SHINING A LIGHT

Parents Against Vaping (PAVe) is a grassroots community of passionate parents and concerned individuals committed to protecting children from the dangers of vaping and other flavored tobacco use. As the first and only national parent organization fighting the vaping and tobacco industries, they educate parents and communities and empower them to take a stand and safeguard the health of our children by teaching them to advocate for local, state, and federal legislation to end sales of these flavored products that are hooking millions of kids. 

As part of their work, they raise awareness about the tobacco industry’s intentional targeting of Black teens. They point to the way menthol has been used for decades to target Black communities as evidence of this concern.

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