#130 - Inside Gen Z’s Vape Culture And How Parents Can Respond

Fruit-scented clouds, zero ash, and sleek gadgets have convinced a lot of teens and young adults that vaping is a harmless habit. We pull back the curtain on what’s really inside the aerosol, why nicotine hits differently during brain development, and how flavors that are safe to eat can still be risky to inhale. With stories from the classroom and the field, we trace how vaping became normalized, how devices are disguised in plain sight, and why “safer than smoking” doesn’t hold up for a generation that never smoked to begin with.

We break down the science in plain language: ultrafine particles that reach deep into the lungs, heavy metals shed from heating elements, and volatile organic compounds formed when liquids are heated. We talk about anxiety, sleep disruption, and focus problems tied to nicotine use, plus the emerging evidence around lung injury, including so-called popcorn lung. You’ll also hear how marketing reframes vaping as identity, stress relief, and community, echoing Big Tobacco’s old playbook with modern packaging and flavors designed to hook new users.

Most importantly, we share a practical playbook for parents. Start with questions, not accusations. Ask what kids see at school, what friends believe, and how often it shows up in their world. Keep it calm, keep it ongoing, and focus on informed choices rather than fear. If a teen is already vaping, we offer ideas to map triggers, reduce access, and consider support for nicotine dependence. The aim isn’t to win an argument—it’s to keep trust and steer better decisions when you’re not in the room.

If this conversation helps you rethink vaping or gives you words for a hard talk, share it with a parent, coach, or teacher who needs it. Subscribe for more clear-eyed health insights, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your feedback guides future episodes and keeps this community strong.

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Transcript

Opening And Parent Question

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Today on the Frontline Health podcast, what are just kind of your tips for how parents can talk to their kids about vaping?

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Yeah, I think the the first is don't actually accuse, but just start asking questions. You know, ask them what they're seeing, ask them what uh is going on around them, and don't necessarily say that they're the ones doing it, because that always opens up dialogue, and then it can open up opportunity to discuss the dangers of these things, and that will seep in whether they're doing it or not, but at least having that conversation will give you an opportunity to educate them a little bit more. Um, and trying to be open to having that discussion with them without necessarily just um coming down hard on things because you want them to be able to come to you and to discuss those things with you.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

Hello, and welcome back to the Frontline Health Podcast by Centurion Health, where we share health news, tips, and insights to help you take ownership of your health. I'm Evan Patrick, joined as always by Troy Duel. Today we're talking about something that keeps coming up in conversations with parents, teachers, and honestly, you just see it when you're out in public vaping. What's interesting is this Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than previous generations, which on the surface sounds like a really big win for health. But at the same time, vaping has absolutely exploded, and a lot of young people genuinely believe it's not harmful, or at least that it's not that harmful.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

Yeah, I think it's a big deal because this generation certainly seems to be inspired by help things and sees things that are definitely not beneficial for them. But this is one area that kind of makes you scratch your head. I guess every generation has it, because vaping is so prevalent. And I know people who used to smoke that say, well, at least I'm not smoking anymore. I'm vaping now because this is uh much more beneficial to me than smoking was. But it is truly one of those things that I think is eye-opening once you get into some of the information about how unhealthy vaping actually is.

Normalization Among Teens

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yeah, and I think a lot of people would be shocked just to see how prevalent that it is. I know I was a teacher for two years, and I was absolutely blown away by how accepted it was just among my 14-year-old students as being so normal and something that I mean, I would obviously I don't know, but I would be willing to bet probably close to half of them partook in. It was a constant battle, you know, monitoring the bathrooms, um, you know, monitoring things in the hallways when there were passing the passing off of vapes going on, and even sometimes somebody getting as bold as to do it in the classroom during the middle of a lesson, which is is shocking, but it's so prevalent and um really excited to to kind of slow down today and ask, you know, what is driving this vaping culture in our kids? What's actually in these products that they're consuming? What do we know and not know about the long-term health effects? And how do parents talk about this without the conversation immediately shutting down with their kids?

SPEAKER_02 3:18

Uh that's a great question. And I'm excited to start going through some of these things with you because it's so true. Uh, I think a lot of it is uh to me, it's interesting. Back in the day, if somebody was smoking a cigarette, they smelled like cigarettes. But now, if they're vaping, you really can't tell that they're vaping because it doesn't have that off-putting smell that goes with it. Now, sometimes you've got the grape smells and the other things that you're like, uh, you smell a little fruity. But um, other than that, it's really hard to tell if they're jumping into it for sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Yeah, and they blame it on perfume, they blame it on candy that they're eating or something like that, all kinds of other things that are are similar smells that you can can pass the buck to.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

So before we get into the ingredients and biology of all of this, let's zoom out. Why does vaping feel so tied to Gen Z specifically?

SPEAKER_02 4:14

I I think Gen Z has seen and been exposed to a lot of things about alcohol in particular. So they've seen the addiction, they see DUI, they see mental health issues. So I think they've already got a little bit of healthy skepticism with it. But vaping kind of entered as a great alternative to smoking, and that it wasn't as bad. So it doesn't have that smell like we've talked about, there's no ash, and you don't really have the social stigma that we saw with people who smoked in previous generations or with alcohol it itself. So it feels super normalized, and it's almost uh akin to a lot of these energy drinks that kids are taking and drinking on a regular basis. They're not great for you, but they don't see the downside long term, and because everybody's doing it, um, it seems to be much better than smoking in their eyes.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

So the story for them becomes that they tell themselves, I don't drink, I don't smoke cigarettes, I'm making healthy choices. So in their minds, a lot of times vaping is getting the free pass.

SPEAKER_02 5:25

That's absolutely right. And and it's unfortunate because I I think there's just not a lot of education that goes on with it. But that's one of the reasons we've decided to choose this podcast.

What’s In The Aerosol

SPEAKER_01 5:37

So let's ground it in reality. How common is vaping right now, especially among teens and young adults?

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Uh among middle and high school aged kids, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product. So there are millions of kids who have reported that they currently use it. And uh it's also important, especially ages 18 to mid-20s, that this is also one of the highest use groups overall.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I definitely, you know, particularly like in my National Guard unit, it's tons and tons of people hitting the vape um all the time. It's just sort of like a common thing. You're just sitting around hanging out, like it's it's just what so many people are accustomed to doing. Uh, what's interesting about this, you know, you shared that millions of kids report current use. I wonder how many are using but not reporting. They're handed a survey or something that's anonymous, but then they're scared of getting in trouble for so that somebody's gonna find out somehow if they put down a response, and so they're not saying that they do, even if they do.

SPEAKER_02 6:41

Uh absolutely. It's kind of like when you go to uh get a loan on anything and they say, Are you a criminal? and you say no. But I don't know many criminals who would say yes in that scenario, um, even if they were criminals. Um, but I I think it's very similar when it comes to that because nobody wants to uh get in trouble for something that they're actually doing.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

Yeah. I think the main the main point here is it's not a fringe behavior, it's very normalized.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

Uh it is definitely not a fringe behavior. And I I would venture to say if you ask any teenager or young adult if they're being honest with you, they will tell you they know multiple people who are vaping on a regular basis, and that there really isn't much from a social stigma that is keeping them from doing that. So it they believe that there's no harm with it, and that's why I think you have more and more people doing it.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

So let's kind of get to the root of this issue. When someone takes a hit from a vape, what is actually going into their body?

SPEAKER_02 7:50

Well, most people think, and they would probably assume correctly, if something's called vape, you're just inhaling vapor, that you're just inhaling fumes. But it's actually an aerosol, which are tiny particles that are suspended in the air, and it's created by heating a liquid, which is one of the reasons there should be major concern because of what you are inhaling at that point. The first one is you're inhaling a lot of nicotine, which is highly addictive. It affects how your brain handles reward focus mood and impulse control. Um, and really, when you're talking about nicotine as you're inhaling it, you know, there are some studies that show nicotine has brought some good things with it, but in this form, it doesn't seem to bring the same benefit that somebody who uses a nicotine patch or chews nicotine gum actually brings in because it's going straight to your lungs and causing some serious issues. So we know that it also if you're taking it as a young teen to mid-20s, that's the time when your brain is actually developing the most or second most outside of birth. So exposure during adolescence and early adulthood is really a big deal and something you want to try to avoid.

Nicotine Myths And Brain Development

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah, so what you're saying is even college-age vaping isn't past the danger zone. It's still a concern for young adults. Um, and I just want to kind of pause on something for a second. Um, I remember when these products they were first coming out and they were kind of being marketed specifically to people who were already smoking cigarettes as sort of a a safer alternative or a way for them to kind of quit smoking cigarettes. And the idea was that they were would still get that hit of nicotine that they were craving, but not the harmful chemicals associated with cigarettes. Um, also recently, there have been certain, you know, influencers, people, you know, who on the internet who have been kind of promoting this idea that maybe nicotine isn't really all that bad for us. It's just like caffeine saying maybe it has certain benefits uh even. So I want to ask you the question is nicotine in and of itself bad for us? And what do you make of kind of the shift from what these products were originally being marketed as to who's using them today?

Heavy Metals And VOCs

SPEAKER_02 10:15

Yeah, I mean, if you look at some of the studies that have come out, it typically isn't the nicotine that was causing cancer for individuals. It wasn't uh the nicotine that was causing issues when people were smoking, it was the chemicals and the smoke itself that you're inhaling into your lungs that uh seems to be the major trigger. So there are definitely lots of studies that show nicotine has some benefit. There are definitely some studies that show it as has some addictive qualities to it. And I think uh for some of the studies and people who who may have joint pain and other um issues along those lines, nicotine may be a great alternative based on the studies that are out there. But taking it through inhalation is not the way to do it. So you want to avoid inhaling anything because ultimately it's about the particles and the lung exposure that we're talking about that you need to avoid because those particles actually travel down into the lungs, and it's not uh really where you want any of those chemicals going. You want those chemicals to stay far, far away. I mean, they're you're just pulling in some serious toxins into your lungs at that point. Um, the other thing is there's some heavy metals that are there, so you get nickel, tin, and lead and e-cigarette aerosol, and some of that comes from the heating elements that are going on, which is uh kind of interesting because most of us don't think of metal when you're thinking of vaping because you just see plumes of smoke. Um, so that one definitely is a shock. And then there's some uh VOC compounds that come out. So VOC is something that we hear about with these toxic fumes that come up, whether that's with brand new carpet or clothes or furniture. But that VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, and they're basically chemical byproducts that are formed when liquids are heated. And some of them we know actually irritate the lungs and the airways, um, and it causes longer-term concerns. And if you look at any of those lungs of people who are vaping, you also see what's called popcorn lungs starting to pop up. So you get all these issues going on in your lungs. So it is having a super detrimental effect long term on people's lungs if you're vaping on a regular basis.

Flavors And Inhalation Risk

SPEAKER_01 12:51

That is so important for people to know. I mean, thank you for sharing all of that. You just don't think about all of those contaminants being in something that you're inhaling. Um, so thank you for sharing all of that. I think that's super important for parents to know and for anyone who's who's vaping, really, just to be aware of. Um, I want to talk about flavors because I feel like that is kind of the whole game with how these products are now being marketed. I feel like the commercials that I saw, like when vapes were first coming out, did not have they were not nearly as uh bubbly or advertising these crazy, like candy-like flavors or fruity flavors. It was just kind of like, hey, this is this is clean water vapor, but now flavors kind of seem like the whole game.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Yeah, and it's it is actually kind of crazy because I think a lot of them advertise that they're safe to eat, but they never have been truly tested for inhalation. Obviously, it's a big difference if you're swallowing something where you could have toxins get into your gut, but your gut has acid levels and other things that will break that down and it may not get into your body. But if you're taking it directly into your lungs, there's nothing to protect it. So it's gonna get into your bloodstream and uh much quicker, and it's gonna be a much greater effect detrimentally on your body.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Yeah, so that FDA approved flavoring doesn't mean safe to inhale.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Unfortunately, it doesn't. So definitely uh one of those watch outs watch outs that you need to pay attention to.

“Safer Than Smoking” Debunked

SPEAKER_01 14:28

So to address this the specific question, isn't vaping safer than smoking? That's that's the pushback we hear a lot. So is that true? Is there does that hold weight?

SPEAKER_02 14:38

Um I don't think it does. Now, somebody who may be a chain smoker who's smoked all their life and then it helps kind of wean them off, maybe, but we've already seen that these lungs have what's called popcorn lung that we've talked about, and they have other issues that are popping up. So you may just be trading one pour effect for another. Um, and then especially when you're talking about uh this new generation of teens and Gen Zs, they hadn't smoked at all, and we're still seeing detrimental effects. So don't really need to get into that. Well, it's better than smoking. Well, the truth is um you just don't need to do either one of them, and your body would be much better off.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Yeah, and then I mean, of course, we don't have the 40 years of data uh that we have with cigarettes to know exactly how it's impacting our bodies. Um, we don't have that with vaping, so there's a lot that's still unknown.

SPEAKER_02 15:35

Very true. Very true.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

All right, so the the the marketing, we know that this didn't all happen uh by accident. Um so let's talk about that for a second, why kids have sort of become the target of this?

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Yeah, I think uh a lot of it is because there is a potential market out there and they recognize that people can use this, uh kids can use it, and they won't get caught uh doing it near as often. Much harder to do that. And then when you get those bright colors, you get candy, different candy names, dessert names, whatever it is, and all of a sudden you get this um uh bright shiny object that kids are drawn to. And it's it's unfortunate that there aren't more warnings and more education behind it, but it certainly is uh a big issue.

Marketing And Youth Targeting

SPEAKER_01 16:28

It really is amazing how some of these products have been allowed. Like some of them look just like USB drives, obviously making it very hard for teachers and administrators to know like if a kid has just a flash drive that they've got because they're saving school projects on it, or if it's actually a vape. I mean, I remember one year we had a a briefing at the start of the school year on uh different objects that vapes were shaped out. There was one, it was literally a Coca-Cola can, and you could, I mean, it was indistinguishable from a can of Coca-Cola, but you could unscrew the top, and then there was the vape where you could take a hit from it. I mean, it's it's remarkable, all the different tumblers, things that look like tumblers. I mean, it just was the the craziest stuff. And companies have designed products like this that kids will buy so that they can get away with doing this stuff in public, hide it from their parents, hide it from their teachers. It's it's it's really insane.

SPEAKER_02 17:26

Uh, it is. And then to package it with kind of that heavy or um the lifestyle and identity piece that is going to help relieve stress and help you focus and make you a part of a community. I think it's um that's probably even more disgusting than anything else. But that's that's something we've done for years when it comes to products that maybe aren't good for us. When you had the Marlboro man and he was uh that striking cowboy, that uh rugged guy, and he got on a horse and he could do all kinds of things, but you know, they didn't show him when he was 65, 70 years old and couldn't breathe anymore. Um that's that wouldn't have been a very good commercial. It it would not have made a great commercial at all.

SPEAKER_01 18:11

Um, we do know that there has been some progress made in recent years, maybe the past couple of years, where there have been laws that have been passed to prevent youth targeting. So what happened with all of that?

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Yeah, so the FDA came in and they got authority over all the tobacco products out there, and they actually raised the legal age to 21, and then they restricted certain flavored products in order to help kind of um get a little bit more regulation around this industry as a whole. And we know that it's gonna take a little bit of time to get there with all of these things, but technically it is supposed to be up to age 21 with anything that um has those tobacco products.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Yeah, and and obviously that's great, but uh parents should be aware like that has not solved the issue for their kids. I mean, there was I saw some crazy stuff happen when I was a teacher. There were parents who were buying these for their kids. They would go into the gas station and just like, you know, my parents would ask me, Hey, do you want a drink? Do you want a, I don't know, do you want a snack? I'm going to the gas station. They're like getting their kids vapes at the checkout counter at the gas station, which just blows my mind. Um, but then also like parents need to be aware, kids are passing these off to each other at school. Like, just because um you're monitoring and making sure that they don't have them at home doesn't mean that they don't have access to them from their friends at school and all kinds of other ways for them to get them. They're vape dealers, right? Kids that will sell them to uh to other kids. And so, like, they're if a kid wants to have access to it, chances are they're gonna be able to get access to it somehow.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

That's right. And I think it's uh that constant reminder that times really haven't changed when when you were younger, you found a way to do things that you weren't supposed to do if it was something you really wanted to do, or that it felt like it elevated you in status or whatever. And I think vaping is one of those things that certainly does that, and there'll be a group and a contingent of people who are a little more rebellious that find a way to do it, and then they can encourage others to to go along with them. So times really hadn't changed all that much. It's just a different form, and we have to be more cognizant of it.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

So you have two teenagers at home, Troy. For parents who are listening out there, what how can parents talk to their kids about vaping and you know what would be a helpful starter for that conversation? Or what what are just kind of your tips for how parents can talk to their kids about vaping?

SPEAKER_02 20:45

Yeah, I think the the first is don't actually um accuse, but just start asking questions. You know, ask them what they're seeing, ask them what uh is going on around them, and don't necessarily say that they're the ones doing it, because that always opens up dialogue, and then it can open up opportunity to discuss the dangers of these things, and that will seep in whether they're doing it or not, but at least having that conversation will give you an opportunity to educate them a little bit more. Um, and trying to be open to uh having that discussion with them without necessarily just um coming down hard on things because you want them to be able to come to you and to discuss those things with you.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Yeah, that seems like a great way to kind of like lower their defenses and and you know, like you said, not being accusatory, but opening up room for a conversation.

Ongoing Dialogue And Takeaways

SPEAKER_02 21:46

Yeah, and and I think when you have that conversation, again, it comes back to you can talk about how studies have shown it increases anxiety, it decreases focus, it causes your sleep to get messed up. Up and that there is dependence that seems to come in with that. And you can talk about the addiction that comes to it and the poor health outcomes ultimately hopefully will allow them then to make an educated decision to stop doing that or to then begin helping their friends make educated decisions about it. Because the more educated they are, I think they're like everybody else, if they're educated about it, more than likely they're going to make a good decision and they'll make the right one.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Yeah, and I think it's also important, you know, like all of us, uh, kids have a short memory when it comes to things like this sometimes. So um making it an ongoing conversation and something that parents are continually just kind of checking in with their kids about. And I think that goes for vaping or really anything else, like having that open line of communication and just talking about your talking to your kids about what's going on in their lives and at school, um, regardless of how much they give you, right? I probably was not very open with my parents when I was a teenager, but at the same time, um, I'm sure that that is provoking some thoughts in them uh that will help them try to hopefully make wise choices as they're dealing with this.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Absolutely. And I think the more calm you can be and the more consistent and honest about what's going on in them if they're doing it or their friends, it makes it uh that much more palatable for anybody to really take it in.

Closing Remarks And Resources

SPEAKER_01 23:30

Well, this has been a great conversation, Troy. Thank you for sharing those tips. Hopefully that was helpful to some parents. And if it helped you think through uh this issue about vaping, um, be sure you uh share this with share this podcast with someone else who needs it, who has kids that um you know that that they're concerned for and want to be able to guide them in the right direction. Um appreciate you listening to this episode of the Frontline Health Podcast. As always, we want to encourage you got to take ownership of your health because you are your best health advocate. We'll see you next time on the Frontline Health Podcast. If you enjoyed what you heard today on the podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving us a review. We would love to hear your comments or questions about anything we've talked about on the show. For more health news, tips, and insights, follow us at Centurion Health on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. And for safe, effective, and affordable healthcare products made in the USA to help you elevate your health and life, visit centurion.health. We look forward to you joining us next time on the Frontline Health Podcast by Centurion.