The facts about vaping
For decades, the tobacco industry has been making people, young people actually, addicted to nicotine as young as possible. We now know that smoking leads to serious diseases and conditions. One in two smokers even die from it. In the Netherlands that is more than 19,000 people per year. The fact that the tobacco industry is now deliberately making young people addicted to the very harmful nicotine via vapes is seen by doctors as a serious health risk. The facts about vaping – which are already known, but not shared by the tobacco industry – do not lie and show that vaping is very harmful.
The doctors believe it is important that every parent knows these four facts about vaping:
1. Many vapes release more toxic and addictive nicotine than an entire pack of cigarettes.
2. Nicotine disrupts brain development and that is irreversible.
3. Nicotine increases the risk of various psychological problems.
4. Young people who vape are three times more likely to smoke cigarettes.
Protect children
“I am also older myself and that is partly why I feel the need to make myself heard. We cannot allow our young people to be seduced, at the risk of their own health, by an industry that is only interested in making a profit. We are already seeing the direct negative effects of vaping on the health of young people. We, as doctors, are concerned about the long-term consequences of vaping. That is why we call on everyone to protect our children by sharing the facts about the dangers of vaping with all parents in the Netherlands. They are entitled to that and so are our children,” says pediatric pulmonologist Noor Rikkers.
Breaking into the media
Previously, the same collective of doctors, including Wanda de Kanter (Chairman of Smoking Prevention Youth), Noor Rikkers (pediatric pulmonologist) and Pim Keurlings (GP) also raised the alarm on TikTok, calling on influencers not to
vapes to show more in their content. The many concerned reactions after the TikTok campaign showed that parents are not always aware of the dangers and need clear information about vaping. The reactions of parents in combination with the great concern of the doctors mean that they are now jumping into the breach and breaking into the media. With this cry from the heart, substantiated with facts, the doctors hope to inform and help parents. They believe parents have a right to know the facts about vaping. After all, their children are seduced by an industry that needs them as future customers, to replace the dead smokers. And if it is up to the doctors, this will end as quickly as possible. For more information, the doctors’ heartfelt cry and an overview of the facts, visit www.artsenslaanalarm.nl
