Doctors in UAE warn us yet again of the rising health risks posed by vaping among teenagers, noting how widespread access to vape products in retail stores and gas stations undermines UAE’s age restrictions.
As recently reported in Khaleej Times, medical experts are particularly concerned about vaping’s effects on teen brain development, highlighting nicotine’s potential to impact focus, impulse control, and long-term respiratory health. This caution aligns with the UK’s recent decision to ban single-use vapes, aiming to reduce environmental damage and restrict the products’ appeal to younger users.
Teen Vape Users at Risk of Asthma, Chronic Pulmonary Disease, Anxiety & More
While flavored vapes are being marketed towards the youth, a Special Pulmonologist at Thumbay University Hospital, Dr. Mohamed Saifeldin Abdelrahman Mohamed, explains that the high nicotine levels in vapes are especially harmful to young users, quickly leading to addiction and interfering with brain areas responsible for attention and self-regulation. In line with a study on addictive behaviors, Dr. Mohamed also warns that vaping increases teens’ likelihood of trying other tobacco products.
While young adults usually start vaping as a way to relieve anxiety and stress, it is strongly correlated to worsening mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. Frequent vaping can also worsen chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), while also increasing susceptibility to infections in addition to the immediate mental health risks.
“Teenagers’ health is significantly impacted overall,” says Dr. Mohamed.
Vapes Contains Harmful Chemicals That Are Toxic When Consumed
Interventional Cardiologist at International Modern Hospital Dr. Hesham Tayel explains that the composition of some vapes poses an additional risk. Many products contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, and toxic flavoring agents that can harm lung tissue, particularly in young, developing lungs.
In contrast to the popular misconception among teens that vapes are just harmless water vapor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NIH research on the toxicology of e-cigarettes further strengthens Dr. Tayel’s statement, highlighting the amount of harmful substances found in vapes and vape juices. Among those, the following are noted in the research:
- Nicotine – a highly addictive substance also found in tobacco
- Propylene Glycol – also found in solvents
- Carcinogens – cancer-causing chemicals
- Acrolein – also found in herbicides
- Diacetyl – a chemical linked to Bronchiolitis Obliterans (Popcorn Lungs)
- Diethylene glycol – a chemical linked to lung disease
- Heavy metals – causes breathing problems & disease
- Benzene – a volatile organic compound found in car exhausts
As he noted in the Khaleej Times article, these health risks are even more intensified by the presence of THC in some unregulated products, with some cases leading to severe lung injuries.
“These incidents underscore the potential dangers of unregulated substances,” says Dr. Tayel.
Schools Implement Proactive Campaigns Along With Installment of Vape Detectors
To combat the rising trend of vaping among youth, especially students, UAE schools are implementing preventive measures to reduce vaping on campus. For example, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis (WSO) installed vape detectors on its campus to quickly detect and address vaping incidents among students.
Vape detectors are devices that monitor, record, and report vaping incidents in restricted areas, such as restrooms and locker rooms. When the sensor detects a vaping incident on the premises, it sends the designated school staff an immediate alert with the incident’s time and location, allowing prompt action.
Amy Cooper, WSO’s Wellbeing Director, shared that these vape alarms serve as both a deterrent and an immediate intervention tool to prevent the habit from spreading.
“The presence of these alarms serves as a clear message that vaping will not be tolerated in our school,” says Cooper.
While using the right technology is a huge advantage when implementing vape-free campaigns, it’s also important to follow through after detection to ensure that students’ wellbeing is prioritized and sustained in the long run. GEMS Wellington Academy understands this and has implemented educational assemblies and workshops at schools aimed at further informing students about vaping’s health and legal consequences related to these incidents.
Abu Dhabi Shining Star International School Principal Abhilasha Singh explained that their school emphasizes a healthy lifestyle through sports, where caring for one’s health and habits is a natural result. This encourages students to make choices that support their long-term goals and physical wellbeing.
“The students need an aspiration, and once they visualize the rewards and outcomes attached to the goal, all they need is focus and guidance. We pin our dreams and hopes on the young generation. It’s a responsibility, and we have to take care of them,” says Singh.
However, it‘s crucial that educators and school staff are knowledgeable about vaping devices and terminology to ensure that vape-free campaigns are implemented proactively. Without this understanding, early warning signs may be missed, communication with students can become challenging, and collaboration with parents may be less effective.
That‘s why The Vape Detector team has developed a free, downloadable, and shareable guide to equip schools with the tools they need to stay informed and proactive.
Download your copy here — absolutely free!
References:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-crackdown-on-single-use-vapes
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460320307231?dgcid=author
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/about.html#cdcreference_1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507184/
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/dubai-vaping-on-the-rise-among-school-students-warn-experts
https://thevapedetector.com/flysense-fs300-the-worlds-first-vape-detector/
https://thevapedetector.com/about-us-flysense-uae-distributor/
https://thevapedetector.com/educators-guide-to-vaping-devices-and-lingo/