The first time I came across vaping wasn’t in a commercial or health class; it was in the school bathroom. I walked in, and it didn’t smell like soap. It smelled like mango. A sweet cloud hung in the room, and a pack of kids laughed, just like they had been sharing candy. That was when I realized that vaping, no longer just being seen as hidden, was now normal.
But behind the fruity scent, I saw something heavier. My classmates weren’t only chasing flavors – they were chasing relief from stress, homework, and fitting in. For a moment, the vape looked like an escape, but I watched that escape turn into a trap. When my friends couldn’t find a vape, they shook their heads. They got irritable, distracted, and anxious. Instead of solving problems, vaping created more. It’s like trading one storm for another.
What I find infuriating is how calculated it all seems. Companies market these nicotine products as if they’re candy, “blue razz”, “cotton candy”, and “gummy bear.” All while putting bright colors on devices that look sleek and push them online, where teens scroll all the time. This is not by coincidence; this is intentional. They don’t see our faces; they see dollar signs.
Dealing with mental health struggles is difficult enough. Add typical pressures to perform, appear good and fit in and it can feel unbearable. Introducing nicotine or vapes in your experience only adds to this growing stress. Instead of smoking or vaping as a layer of stress release, try to substitute the action with something that is healthier for you, such as running or exercising, journaling to declutter your thoughts, or calling a friend to talk about your feelings. All of these habits take time to create, but will give you true relief without a cloud of chemicals around you.
I want adults to know that youth vaping is not simply a “bad choice.” It indicates anxiety and not deep situational consciousness. To blame teens without holding companies accountable misses the bigger picture. We need deeper conversations, stronger ad restrictions, and support for students who are already using vaping products.
A vape-free future to me looks clear, literally and figuratively. It’s walking into the bathroom and smelling soap, not smoke. It’s students supporting each other rather than supporting each other with vapes. It’s the freedom to not only be free from nicotine but to be free from thinking that the only way to cope with thoughts or anxiety, or stress is to inhale something harmful.
A vape isn’t the solution. Your body and mind are more valuable than a candy-flavored cloud. True strength isn’t lost in smoke. It’s the strength to be healthy; to have self-control; to make decisions today that will safeguard your future.
