THE CULTURE OF VAPING

Vaping isn’t a just an alternative to smoking cigarettes – it has emerged into more of a culture. As such, the vaping cultures have grown to include trade shows, fairs and conventions/expos. These trade shows offer an array of products, vendors, seminars, social interactions with other vapers, parties, gifts, vaping contests and other activities. These conventions present a unique opportunity for vape enthusiasts to mingle and network with other vapers and vape manufacturers.

The products available to buy include phone covers, headphones and earbuds, shirts, hoodies and hats, car holders, backpacks, skateboards, posters, lanyards and much more!

Today, because of smoking laws in numerous states, special bars and vape shops, similar to coffee shops, have been created where people gather to vape. There are also online forums to share ideas.

Vaping as an art

Back in the 1950s and early 1960s, movies presented a puff or ring of smoke as sophisticated and cool. Today, adolescent and young adults like to do vape tricks.

One of the reasons people do vape tricks is because they like to play and create. Vape tricks create a sense of excitement and adventure to life. Tricks range from blowing the biggest plume (cloud chasing) to finite smoke-filled bubbles.

One of the tricks, “The Dragon,” is impressive and has been said to make the vaper feel ferocious. The vaper blows out streams of steam from both sides of the mouth and nose – like a breathing dragon.

How do vapors get the biggest cloud? Vapors use highly powerful vape mods to produce the biggest, thickest and baddest plumes of vapor. Cloud chasing, now a competitive sport, has gone professional supported by sponsors.

Technology as art

Aspiring engineers spend their time wrapping coils, calculating resistances and finding new ways to combine the raw components into more powerful circuitry. Artists create paintings on vaping and the device. Traditional art then leads to decals, T-shirt screenings and other merchandising opportunities to promote the vaping industry.

Marketing

Any new product on the market begins by advertising - traditional and digitally. Young people are vulnerable to e-cigarette ads. In general, youth are exposed to advertising from multiple sources. What do those advertising numbers look like?

8 million youths are exposed through magazines or newspapers
6 million youths are exposed through television or the movies
5 million youths are exposed through internet
4 million youths are exposed at retail stores

E-cigarettes and vaping appeal particularly to millennia’s, males, people who tend to be angry, individuals without a strong sense of identity, artists, thrill seekers and people that like to impress. Typical ads built around the themes of sex, independence, and rebellion are used to attract an audience.

Manufacturers market to young adults (18 to 24-year-olds) with candy and fruit flavored e-liquids. This age group is more likely to use flavored tobacco products. Here is a sampling of e-liquid flavors: coffee, bubblegum, white chocolate, peanut butter cookie, peach ice cream, cinnamon spice, and strawberry pound cake to mention a few. There are over 7,000 flavors to choose from!

Who are these 18- to 24-year-olds?

Vape shops target the natural markets. Natural markets are a segment of people with a common interest such as goths, tech geeks, social cause and charity junkies, sports freaks and lovers, natural food and health conscious people, bikers, military, gym rats, same sex partners, foreigners from any land and former and recovering persons with addictions. In other words, anyone from all walks and backgrounds in life.

Vape shops have been found to take advantage of the adolescent population because of their lack of knowledge by selling them over-priced equipment or worse, a product that will make them sick.

Vaping has widely been promoted on social media platforms such as You Tube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Many teens are vaping to boost their social image.

Effects on one’s health

According to the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report, e-cigarette use has become a public health concern for youth and young adults. The e-cigarette exposes users to harmful chemicals that can have adverse health effects. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and harm the developing adolescent brain.

E-juice is approved by the FDA as Generally Recognized as Safe for consumption. However, other chemicals found in e-cigarette liquid, flavorings and aerosols are not safe such as acetaldehyde, acrolein, formaldehyde and diacetyl.

Acetaldehyde is a colorless liquid that manufacturers use the chemical to make a range of products, including vinegar, perfume and flavorings. This chemical is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

Diacetyl, a buttery flavored chemical often found in microwave popcorn has been linked with Popcorn Lung. Symptoms can include shortness of breath and coughing similar to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Metal Toxins may leak from the heating coil element. Researchers at John Hopkins found these metals -lead, nickel, manganese, chromium and arsenic.

Health risks associated with vaping include the increase risks of developing cancer and heart disease, wound that won’t heal and ‘smoker’s cough’ in teens. Other side effects may include dry mouth, dry lips and sore throat; headaches, nausea or racing pulse; muscle pain, cramps and aches; allergic reaction to propylene glycol; weakened immune system; and damaged blood vessels.

The effects of nicotine can harm parts of the brain that control attention and learning. The behavioral risks associated with too much exposure to nicotine include increased risk of mood and attention problems.

The bottom line is, one puff of an e-cigarette is likely less toxic than a traditional cigarette, however no one really knows how many puffs the typical e-cigarette user is taking. Studies show that people are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes if they vape and the act of vaping has been found by many to be addictive.

The Law

It is against the law to sell, purchase or use e-cigarettes and e-liquid for someone under age 18. Many Ohio colleges and universities are smoke-free campuses including Cleveland State, Ohio State, Kent State, Akron and Ohio to mention at few. E-cigarettes are prohibited on the premise of state buildings.

Many cities and states are raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21. In Ohio, these cities include Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Euclid to mention a few.

A 2015 statistic by the Center of Disease Control found an astounding 75 percent of adult’s favor raising the tobacco age to 21 and 65 percent of those were aged 18 to 24.

Treatment Strategies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify self-defeating and destructive thoughts and behaviors which often drive addiction to help identify triggers – people, places and things and teaches relapse-prevention skills and effective coping strategies.

Motivational interviewing helps clients explore and resolve their ambivalence about quitting or cutting back and enhance their motivation to make healthy changes.

Mindfulness-based smoking cessation treatments, clients learn to increase awareness of and detachment from sensations, thoughts and cravings that may lead to relapse. Patients learn techniques that help them tolerate negative emotions – including stress and cravings.

Teenagers have a variety of options to stop vaping. The options include calling toll free numbers 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669); by visiting www.thisisquiting.com or text QUIT to 202-804-9884. Teens may also use the quitSTART app who want to stop smoking.

If your teenager is struggling with vaping or substance abuse, please call C&A at 330-454-7917.

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STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

16 Apr, 2024

The sixth annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week is May 6-10 Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children will partner to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 53,000 students and 7,000 support and administrative staff in all 18 Stark County School districts.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES

By Chris Alpert • 16 Nov, 2023

In the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? as introduced and explored in first of this three-part blog post series, the participants engaged in multiple workshops that address race and racism. Interpersonally, the group of students grapple with their own differences and similarities, which impact the content and emotions they share with each other. There are several moments in the film that demonstrate the clear differences in the participants’ understanding of race. In the first workshop, the students were exposed to the idea that all white people are inherently racist seeing as American society was founded on principles meant to support white people (see more on structural racism here, here, and here for further understanding). Several white students in the film became emotional during that workshop. Most students remained quiet. Following this workshop, a black student and a white student were filmed independently of each other in their own homes and discussed the workshop and what they learned with their families. The white student discussed the differences between structural racism and bigotry with her mother and struggled to identify with the principles taught in the training. The black student stated to his mother how almost everything spoken in that workshop applied to him. The student further discussed his feelings by stating how overt racism is and yet how “subliminal” it is at the same time. How can something be so in your face and yet under your feet simultaneously? I immediately reflected on the dialectic of something being so clear and yet so vague. The film continued to grapple with student differences. At the beginning of the film, one white male student discussed with his mother how he feels that all individuals, if they apply themselves wholeheartedly, have the same chance of success regardless of their skin, gender, sexuality or other demographic factors. As a white man myself, I must confess that when I was in high school, I had the same mindset. How could it be different? Especially when I was reading mythic bootstrap literature in high school classes. Sure, the harder you work the more you deserve, but that statement does not work for all Americans. I had not accounted for racial factors that inhibit the growth of others, not to mention socio-economic factors, nationalities, citizenship status, gender and age. I continued to reflect on these statements and connected them to my experience in high school in New York City. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement responding to the murder of George Floyd, multiple private progressive schools in New York, including the one I went to, suffered scrutiny from students and alumni who identify as black, indigenous people of color (BIPOC). Multiple Instagram accounts surfaced with the handle “BLACK AT [school name].” I read the posts in 2020, and again before writing this post, and remembered feeling horrified knowing these acts of racism, bigotry and microaggressions happened all around me. This was subliminal to me, yet overt to others.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY

By Chris Alpert • 01 Nov, 2023

When I first came to Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), I was unsure what to expect regarding race and diversity at both the organization and in Ohio. Having grown up in Harlem in New York City and attended graduate school in San Diego, CA, I had heard stereotypes about Ohio, specifically that Ohio was a very white state. At C&A during orientation, we discussed the role of first impressions for clients and discussed how the front desk staff are considered, “the directors of first impressions.” I loved this term. After orientation, I wondered, why we didn’t discuss demographic factors such as race and gender? We generally pick those up upon first impressions and have implicit biases and judgements in those first impressions. It was odd to me that we did not discuss these demographic factors. As the summer and fall progressed, I noticed that there were few discussions about race as it impacts C&A and the kids and families we serve. I noticed the number of white staff at C&A and reflected on my own privilege as a white man who can easily avoid the discussion of race because I do not suffer discrimination on an individual or systemic level. I reflected on my first experiences discussing race in high school. When I was in high school at the Calhoun School, my father received a grant to create a film and workshops that addressed race and racism seen through the eyes of high schoolers in New York City. My dad had completed a training hosted by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. This training opened my father’s eyes to his own white privilege and motivated him to teach kids, specifically white kids, about their privilege earlier in life. I first saw the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? (see more here ), toward the end of high school after it had come out in 2014.

THE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE

By Dr. Karita Nussbaum • 20 Oct, 2023

Ohio is at a crossroads once again with marijuana on the ballot next month. The following article is from Every Brain Matters, an organization that believes that the THC in marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug. Every Brain Matters is a trusted source of educational material based on the latest scientific evidence. One of the major criticisms of expanded marijuana legalization is that it makes the drug more accessible to minors. A brand-new study just published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that it has become a valid concern.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE – SOUTHERN NIGHTS: ILLUMINATING HOPE AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION

By Savannah Okray • 11 Sep, 2023

For the last few months, C&A has been diligently preparing for the 18th Annual Let Your Light Shine – Southern Nights presented by The Repository by organizing auction items, printing tickets and using their creativity to make sure that eventgoers feel as though they are walking into an evening in the south, with barrels and lanterns to boot. The committee, led by chair Jen Frey and co-chair Molly Sperling and auction chair Stacy Remark are hard at work, it’s crucial to remember that this event raises awareness and dollars to support the agency’s programs and services amid suicide prevention and awareness month.

GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD AS A PARENT

By Dan Mucci • 30 Aug, 2023

I have grown up as a parent for the last four and half years! As luck would have it, a little more than four and a half years ago, I started at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) in the mission advancement department with my responsibilities being the marketing and development coordinator. Some might say, I did a good job of raising my two kids, who were teenagers at the time. But, boy, if I had known of the services C&A offered and even some of the parenting tools for my toolbox, parenting might have been even better.

WHAT DID YOU DID THIS SUMMER?

By Dr. Karita Nussbaum • 09 Aug, 2023

This summer I attended a Marijuana Prevention conference near Denver, Colorado. I was curious to know what the locals were saying after 10 years of legalization. The speakers included a Denver Police Commander, school resource officer, medical doctor, residential treatment program CEO, deputy from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association and others related to educating the community and defending children’s rights. In the audience were parents, professionals and advocates for children from all over the United States. The conference was geared toward the protection of children.

FROM DARKNESS TO DISCOVERY: MY COLLEGE JOURNEY OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION

By Savannah Okray • 24 Jul, 2023

When I arrived on campus, I tried to immerse myself in college culture. I joined a sorority, the speech and debate team, and two other clubs which were extensive time commitments, factoring in no time to relax or focus on bettering my mental health. This lack of attention to my mentality, combined with my low self-esteem that prevented me from making friends led me down a dark hole in which some days I thought it would be better if I wasn’t here. About four weeks into school (at Ohio University), I realized that I had to do something, as I knew it was not safe for me to continue down the road I had been on. From there I moved home and attended an inpatient treatment center where I worked with counselors for five hours a day, learning coping skills and other ways in which I could help mend my suffering mental health. Through the lessons I learned I was able to get the skill set and help I needed and returned to school three weeks later.

THIS IS WHY WE CELEBATE

By Mary Kreitz • 19 Jun, 2023

This time of year there are a lot of celebrations happening in our communities – Memorial Day, Pride Festivals, Juneteenth celebrations, 4th of July and many more. These events aren’t just frivolous excuses to have parties, backyard barbecues or festivals. They are important cultural and civic events we need these celebrations.