Note: On October 4th, 2019 Governor Brown issued a temporary ban on certain vaping products. You can read more here.
If you need help quitting, learn more here.
It’s no secret that smoking kills. While vaping is often used as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, more research is showing that this is only marginally true at best.
Like with most dangerous things, though, the effects of vaping and smoking around children are typically many more times damaging for them as opposed to adults. Here are three consequences of smoking and vaping around children.
1. Greater Susceptibility to Disease
Overall, smoking is known to weaken your immune system. While secondhand smoke has a lessened effect on those who breathe it compared to those who do the actual smoking, this difference is far less negligible for children.
Children who regularly inhale secondhand smoke from cigarettes are more susceptible to developing colds, ear infections, and other common childhood ailments. They are also at a greater risk for developing more chronic conditions, such as asthma.
2. Greater Risk for Chronic Conditions
Smoking and nicotine exposure are known to cause or contribute to the development of many chronic conditions in people. Heart disease, stroke, and other serious problems are linked to smoking, and those exposed to secondhand smoke are also seeing an increase in these types of diseases.
While the risk is likely to be lessened with vaping, it is not eliminated. This is compounded due to the fact that vape pods are sometimes inaccurately labeled with regard to the actual percentage of nicotine and other chemicals found within a solution.
3. Risk of Poisoning
While not a direct result of your smoking, keeping cigarettes or vape pods in your home can be a risk if you have small children. Both of these items, particularly the often brightly colored vape pods, can be tempting for children to pick up and play with. Ingesting these items can lead to poisoning and even death if medical treatment is not reached in time.
Smoking is dangerous for everyone, even in the form of vaping. If you’re looking for a reason to quit, consider these consequences of smoking and vaping around your kids to help give you the push you need to take action.
Do you have more questions about you or your family’s health? Talk to staff at WFMC Health or become a new patient today!
