Goal and Rationale
The goal of this video, “What is Vaping”, from our teens series is to teach teens what vaping is, how vaping can be dangerous, and how they can make the right choices when it comes to identifying and rejecting vaping.
By the end of this activity, we hope that teens will be able to:
- Explain what vaping is.
- Evaluate how vaping can be dangerous.
- Describe the reasons that some people vape.
- Brainstorm the short and long-term effects that vaping can have on people.
- Think about the different ways that vaping can impact them and their bodies.
Suggested procedure for educators
This video is six minutes and fourteen seconds long, as you show the video to your students, pause the video at the 3:00 point to ask students the following questions:
Answer: E-cigarette, vape pens, pod mods, or vape mods heats a liquid until it becomes a vapor, which then people inhale. The liquids known as e-liquids or vape juice could contain nicotine or THC. E-cigarettes or vape pens can be refillable or pre-filled with cartridges containing the e-liquid.
Answer: Vape devices can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs. Liquid cannabis is a potent form of marijuana used in a vape pen with insanely high THC levels.
Answer: It is pretty new but it suggests vaping oil or liquids could be quite harmful to lung health. The problem is the vaping products are not regulated by the FDA, so there are components in it that can damage your health.
After discussing these questions with your students, resume the video. When the video ends, have students answer the following questions:
Answer: As far as pot, it contains THC and either form is creating the same damage mentally. This is the same thing with tobacco. In 2019, there was study from the CDC, Center for Disease Control, that vaping can damage your lungs even more. It’s mainly due to the ingredients they add in the e-cigarette.
Answer: Actually, some vape product labels don’t disclose that they contain nicotine, and some vape liquids marketed as containing 0% nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.
Answer: No! In fact, it does the opposite. It seems to be doing this, but it acts as a band aid. When the person is not using nicotine, anxiety and stress get worse than before. So, the person needs another puff and here goes the cycle of dependence. You can ask anyone that has quit smoking. They all have to go through a period of withdrawal like any other drug. They also can still have cravings years after stopping.
Answer: 99 percent of vape products sold in U.S. convenience stores contain nicotine, including many flavored and disposable products you’ve seen other kids use. Plus, the chemicals used to create vape flavorings can damage the lungs, heart and immune system, whether nicotine is present or not. Among the most toxic are the chemicals used to create some chocolate and banana flavors.
Once your students have answered questions 1-7, proceed to a large group discussion using the thematic questions below. Depending on the grade level or age group of your students, you can expect this entire activity including the video to take between 20-30 minutes.
Discussion questions
Note: the sample answers below represent potential correct answers and can be used to facilitate deeper discussion with your students.
Answers will vary but could include: that vaping nicotine or other drugs like marijuana is incredibly harmful to our health for many reasons, including the fact that vape pens aren’t regulated so we don’t every ingredient that is in there, and we already know the dangers of smoking to our lungs.
Answers will vary but could include: some people use these harmful drugs to deal with stress and anxiety and their lives, and oftentimes they make their problems worse not better. When the person is not using nicotine, anxiety and stress get worse than before. So, the person needs another puff and here goes the cycle of dependence.
Answers will vary but could include: pride, curiosity, determination, confusion, fear, sadness, uncertainty, excitement, anxiety, and/or hope.
Answers will vary but could include: that vaping so much more dangerous than I thought it was, I didn’t realize that it harmed my lungs as much or more than smoking, and on top of that that certain governments don’t regulate vape pens or e-cigarettes so we don’t know what other harmful ingredients are in them.
Answers will vary but could include: this video helped me understand that vaping is something I shouldn’t do, I want to live a long and healthy life and vaping tobacco or other drugs like marijuana will not set me up to live a long and healthy life.
Note: Teachers, please have your students share their feedback with us using the form linked below, we want to continue to make our message stronger and more effective. Thanks!
