How can vaping affect your wellbeing?
One of the most common questions young people ask us is:
“So is vaping bad for your health?”
When people talk about health, they often think about the body. But health is more than just physical health.
Vaping can affect things like fitness, feelings, relationships, school life and the environment too.
One way of thinking about wellbeing is through Te Whare Tapa Whā.
Te Whare Tapa Whā uses the image of a wharenui to help us think about the different parts of wellbeing.
Just like a wharenui needs all its sides to be strong, wellbeing is strongest when all parts are looked after.
Taha Tinana | Physical Wellbeing
Does vaping affect fitness?
Taha tinana is about looking after your body.
One of the most common questions young people ask is whether vaping affects fitness.
Some young people who vape tell us they notice things like:
- Feeling puffed more easily
- Finding sport or exercise harder
- Coughing more often
- Sore throats
For people who already have asthma or other breathing problems, vaping may make things harder.
Many vapes contain nicotine. Nicotine can also make your heart beat faster, even when you’re resting.
Taha Hinengaro | Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
Why do I keep thinking about my vape?
Taha hinengaro is about thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Many vapes contain nicotine.
Nicotine can be hard to stop using once someone starts vaping.
Over time, nicotine can make the brain want more and more of it.
Some young people tell us they:
- Think about vaping a lot
- Feel frustrated when they can’t vape
- Find it hard to concentrate
- Feel stressed when they run out of vape juice or can’t get a vape
Some people vape because it helps them feel calmer in the moment.
But that feeling doesn’t usually last long.
After a while, the urge to vape can sometimes make stress and anxiety feel worse.
Taha Whanau | Social Wellbeing
What happens when whanau find out someone is vaping?
Taha whānau is about the people around us and the support we get from others.
When young people ask us this question, they’re often wondering whether someone will get angry, get into trouble, or be disappointed.
Some young people tell us they:
- Hide their vaping from others
- Worry about getting caught
- Argue with whānau about vaping
- Get into trouble at school because of vaping
People can react in lots of different ways when they find out someone is vaping.
Some people feel worried.
Some feel frustrated.
Others may not know what to do or say.
Vaping can sometimes affect the people who care about us too.
Taha Wairua | Spiritual Wellbeing
Why is it so hard to do something different when everyone else is vaping?
Taha wairua is about who we are, what matters to us and the choices we make.
Sometimes young people tell us it feels like everyone is vaping.
When something becomes normal around us, it can be harder to make different choices.
Some young people tell us they:
- Feel pressure to try vaping
- Vape because their friends vape
- Don’t want to feel left out
- Find it hard to say no when people offer them a vape
Even when it feels like everyone is vaping, that isn’t always the case.
The number of young people who don’t vape is usually much higher than the number who do.
Wanting to fit in is a normal part of being human.
Taha Whenua | Looking after the environment
What happens to vapes when they get thrown away?
Taha whenua is about our connection to the environment and the places around us.
Many young people tell us they’ve seen vapes that have been thrown away in places like:
- School grounds
- Parks
- Beaches
- Footpaths
- Roadsides
You might have seen them too.
Most vapes can’t be recycled through normal recycling systems.
That’s because they contain a mix of materials, including plastic, electronics, batteries and leftover vape juice.
When vapes are thrown away, they can end up in the environment.
Animals can mistake vapes that have been thrown away for food, which can cause serious harm.
Most people don’t think much about where a vape goes after it’s used, but every vape has to end up somewhere.
Key takeaway
So, is vaping bad for your health?
Yes, vaping can affect different parts of wellbeing, not just physical health.
It can affect fitness, feelings, relationships and the environment too.
That’s why young people ask so many different questions about vaping. They often notice its impact in different parts of everyday life.
Learn More