Vaping and the Young Brain: What Every Parent Should Know

Vaping, the act of inhaling an aerosol created by an electronic cigarette or vape, has been on the rise among youth. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, between 2020 and 2024, the share of current users who vaped every day increased from 15.4% to 28.8%. The vaping and nicotine products available to young people today are not the cigarettes we were warned about growing up. They can create a real compulsion in a young brain after just a handful of exposures. To break down the dangers of vaping, we spoke to Frank T. Leone, MD, MS, director of University of Pennsylvania’s Comprehensive Smoking Treatment Program, about the real health risks of vaping – how it’s not just water vapor – and the dangers of synthetic nicotine, how parents can meet their child with curiosity, not adversity, in talking to them about vaping, and real evidence-based tools available to help you or your child navigate this problem together. Credits Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers Show Notes: Lauren Summers Guest: Frank T. Leone, MD, MS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.