Expert Discusses Hazards Of Vaping Especially Among Youth

Hull, Iowa — A prevention specialist with a local addiction treatment center is trying to inform parents of the dangers of “vaping” and what to look for.

Cheryl Buntsma is a Certified Prevention Specialist with Compass Pointe Behavioral Health Services. She tells us that the newest product is called a “Juul.”

Buntsma says the Juul is recharged in a USB port like a smartphone. She says that the “juice” as it’s called is not exactly smoked but rather heated to a temperature over 212 degrees, where it becomes a vapor and can be inhaled.

She says that there is also a study that says that the coils get hotter and hotter as the user “vapes,” and the vapors become more toxic.

Buntsma tells us that some users are also making their own “juice” or buying it online to refill the “pods” or cartridges that the device uses — which are not designed to be refilled. She says when that is done, there is even more uncertainty about the chemicals in the vapors, which could be even more toxic.

Plus, the fact that it is possible to refill the “pods” means some users are including a form of marijuana in the juice. She says the way that’s normally done is through marijuana “wax” or a product called “shatter” on the streets. She says there’s a danger with that as well.

She says THC is the chemical compound in marijuana that gives people the “high.”

Buntsma says another problem is that when you are vaping, there is no smell that you would connect to smoking or marijuana — just the smells of the flavoring. She says that’s a big concern for law enforcement and parents — there’s no telltale odor of marijuana if your teen is vaping. That means parents need to be on high alert to keep marijuana out of the hands of youth.

In order to vape just the regular retail product, you need to be at least 18 years of age by law, and Buntsma says they have found underage kids with the product. She says their main goal is helping youth make lower-risk choices and educating parents.

She tells us about one of the things they’ve got going to reach that goal.

For more information, you can call Compass Pointe at 712-439-1170.