The news of two students at Butler Senior High School who were taken to a hospital Tuesday when they “allegedly used vape pens and had adverse reactions” was disturbing, to say the least.

By now, the dangers of cigarettes are well-known. Almost everyone has a tie — or multiple ties — to someone whose life has been affected by prolonged use or exposure to the chemicals in cigarette smoke, such as the harmful toxins hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and ammonia.

The school’s district superintendent, Brian White, was proactive in sending a letter to parents and guardians of high school students following the incident, asking them to reinforce the dangers of vaping to their children. Every year, more reasons are uncovered as to why vaping and e-cigarettes are not the “healthy” substitute they once were believed to be.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. Approximately two-thirds of JUUL users age 15 to 24 do not know that JUUL always contains nicotine.

Some vape product labels do not disclose that they contain nicotine, and some vape liquids marketed as containing 0% nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

The CDC claims youth may turn to vaping to try to deal with stress or anxiety, creating a cycle of nicotine dependence. However, nicotine addiction can, in fact, be a source of stress in itself.

The biggest issue here is that scientists still are learning about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes. What was thought to be “harmless” water vapor actually is a combination of nicotine, ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, flavorings such as diacetyl (a chemical linked to a serious lung disease) and cancer-causing chemicals and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.

Like with most things, being transparent with your child is, in the long run, the best option. It is recommended that parents talk to children about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them.

Children tend to find ways of flying under the radar. At the end of the day, what they think could be harmless might actually have something much more life-threatening within. If they’re wholly aware of the dangers, they may think twice if presented with a dangerous opportunity.

— CM