9781422271858

That’s why even vapers are at a high risk for nicotine-related health problems, even as teens. This poisonous nature is common even in chewing tobacco—chewers often report a substantially higher risk of lip, gum, and jaw cancer. All of these health issues make nicotine products some of the most dangerous on the market. Don’t think that the brain is free from the dangers of this drug, either. Unfortunately, nicotine has been shown to impact the development of the brain in many ways. For example, it can slow the development of the more complex areas of the cerebral and frontal cortex areas—regions of the brain that are critical for intelligence, memory, and emotional control. This damage is particularly an issue in adolescent users and can rapidly trigger a multitude of problems that will affect them for the rest of their lives. The mental problems related to nicotine use only grow worse as a teen ages and continues to smoke. Fully understanding all of these issues is critical to ensuring that a teen never starts using nicotine or quits as soon as possible. The very nature of nicotine often makes this process difficult, however, because the addictive qualities inherent in its nature are often much harder for teens to resist and control than for adults.

Long-Term Exposure May Cause Decreased Learning Capacity

The poisonous nature of nicotine is even more noticeable in teens. The teenage years are an important period for learning and cognitive development. During this time, the brain undergoes a dramatic change, or rewiring, as old connections are eliminated, and new ones are created. As a result, young adults need to do what they can to ensure that their mind develops as much as possible. Unfortunately,

9

Nicotine Affects Learning Capabilities

Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease