Jakarta –
A recent study led by the American Heart Association linked e-cigarettes containing nicotine and THC (the psychoactive components in cannabis) to symptoms of depression and anxiety in teenagers.
“People who are younger and have been exposed to tobacco use for a long time may experience greater harm from nicotine and other drugs. Perhaps they are the targets of advertisers,” said study author Dr. Joy Hart, quoted from the NY Post, Thursday (2/3) /2023).
Dr. Joy Hart added that more research is needed on electric cigarettes such as vapes. Marijuana use among young people and adults has also increased after several states in the United States legalized it.
“E-cigarette devices are still relatively new compared to other tobacco products, such as flammable cigarettes and pipes, so more research is needed to try to better understand the popularity of e-cigarettes, including the reasons for vaping and the associated health risks among adolescents,” he continued.
An online survey was conducted on 2,505 youth and adults aged 13 to 24 years to answer questions about mental health and vape use. Researchers compared it between THC vape users, nicotine vape, THC-nicotine vape, and people who did not use vape.
Of the 159 THC vape users, 70 percent reported experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, and worry in the past week. While people who do not use vape are only 40 percent.
The survey also includes answers from 370 nicotine vape users and 830 THC-nicotine vape users where 60 percent experience feelings of anxiety.
More than half of vape users say they experience depression, making it difficult to enjoy various activities that they once enjoyed. Meanwhile, a quarter of people who do not use vape experience depression.
In addition, more than all types of vape users also reported suicidal thoughts in the past year. The results are very different from people who use vape, only a third.
Even though a number of participants felt more at ease when using vapes, research results actually showed the opposite.
“This study shows the striking significance of mental health issues in nicotine vape and THC vape users, and as new products continue to appear on the market, I think this is something we will continue to look at,” said Dr Loren Wold, Chair of the American Heart Authors Committee. Association’s 2022.
Studies show that teenagers as young as 14 are already addicted to vaping. The temptation arises to use vape because e-cigarettes are considered as a way of dealing with anxiety. Increasing the priority on more positive habits can relieve tension and symptoms of anxiety and reduce the urge to vape.
He also encourages campaigns or programs that can be carried out to provide education and warnings about the risks of using vape to the younger generation.
A survey conducted by the American Heart Association also found that THC-nicotine vape users have a greater tendency to become dependent on nicotine.
“Double substance use can add to the addiction of vaping or attract people who are more prone to addiction, as well as impact depressive symptoms,” he explained.
Previously, electric cigarettes or vapes were used to reduce addiction to conventional cigarettes. However, in fact now people are actually addicted to vape.
Vape use has been linked to various health problems such as erectile dysfunction, high blood sugar, diabetes, and eating disorders.
Watch Video “Dangers of Vape Vs Cigarettes“
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