DR. WALLACE: I've been hearing a lot about vaping at my school. What exactly is it, and is it safe? Everyone who vapes seems to think it's cool and OK to do. Is it? What do they put inside the vapes? I'm kind of scared to try it, but there is a lot of peer pressure at my school to be cool and give it a try. Is it OK to try? — Curious Teen, via email
CURIOUS: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaping is the delivery system for e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are sometimes called "e-cigs," "vapes," "e-hookahs," "vape pens" and "electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)." Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens and other everyday items. Here are some important facts compiled by the CDC:
—E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.
—While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking.
—If you've never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes, don't start.
—E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element and a place to hold a liquid.
—E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine — the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products — flavorings and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.
—Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called "vaping."
—E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs, and
E-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including:
—Nicotine
—Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
—Flavoring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease
—Volatile organic compounds
—Cancer-causing chemicals
—Heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead
Teens, it is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain. For example, some e-cigarettes marketed as containing 0 percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.
My advice is to not start vaping at all. It can be potentially harmful to your health. Take care of yourself and your body at all times. Give vaping a pass. You've made it through life this far without it; no doubt, you'll continue to do well without it in the future.
IT'S NOT LOVE; IT COULD BE LUST
DR. WALLACE: I'm a 19-year-old young lady, and my boyfriend and I broke up about six months ago after dating for over five years. I finally discovered that I don't love the guy. During that time, while were together, we were sexually active.
I am now going with another guy, and my "ex" is going out with another girl. He told me he and his new girlfriend have not had sex, and the same is true about my new boyfriend in me. But my ex and I still have sex about once a month.
What do you think about this arrangement? - Anonymous
ANONYMOUS: I imagine you're asking me for my thoughts because you know it's a foolish act and you want me to tell you so.
It's a ridiculous arrangement that should end immediately. Once again, you are proving that premarital sex does not necessarily equate with love. In your case, it could only be associated with lust. Nothing good will come from this situation.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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