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Vaping and Tobacco Insights

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Vaping and Tobacco Insights

Read the information first. Then answer each question using evidence from the text and your own reasoning. There is no need to share personal experiences.

Vaping: what the evidence tells us

A vape (also called an e-cigarette) uses a battery to heat a liquid and create an aerosol that a person inhales. The aerosol is not simply water vapour. It can contain tiny particles and chemicals, and some products contain nicotine. Nicotine can lead to addiction. It can also affect the developing brain, including attention, learning and mood. Vape liquids and aerosols vary. Some may contain flavouring chemicals, solvents or metals from the device. The health effects of inhaling these substances are not all fully understood, and the long-term effects of vaping are still being studied. Vaping is not risk-free, especially for young people who do not smoke. Cigarette smoke contains many harmful chemicals produced by burning tobacco; vaping does not burn tobacco, but that does not make vaping harmless or mean every product is safe. People may be curious about vaping because of flavours, social media, friends, stress or the belief that it is harmless. These influences do not mean someone has to vape. A clear refusal, changing the subject, or moving away can help in a pressured moment. A trusted adult or health professional can offer support. In Aotearoa New Zealand, vaping products are regulated, and selling them to people under 18 is prohibited.

Check your understanding

Use the passage to complete Questions 1–6.

1.Which statement best describes what a vape produces?

Smoke made by burning tobacco
An aerosol made by heating liquid
Pure water vapour with no other substances
A harmless gas made by a battery

2.Name two possible substances or types of material, apart from nicotine, that the passage says may be found in vape liquids or aerosols.

3.True or false: Because vaping does not burn tobacco, the passage says that every vape product is safe.

TrueFalse

4.Complete the sentence: Nicotine can lead to and may affect a young person’s developing brain.

5.Give one reason the passage says people might feel curious about vaping, and explain why that reason does not prove vaping is safe.

Use the information in a real-life situation

Apply the ideas from the passage to the questions below.

6.Kai is at a gathering when a friend offers them a vape. Write one short, respectful response Kai could use to refuse, and one practical action Kai could take if the pressure continues.

7.Match each influence in List A with the example in List B that best fits it. Write the letter of the example beside each influence. List A 1. Social influence 2. Misunderstanding about risk 3. Media influence List B A. A post online makes vaping look exciting. B. Someone assumes a product is harmless because it has a fruit flavour. C. A friend says, “Everyone is doing it.”

Social influence
Misunderstanding about risk
Media influence

Someone assumes a product is harmless because it has a fruit flavour.
A friend says, “Everyone is doing it.”
A post online makes vaping look exciting.

8.Why is it important to say that the long-term effects of vaping are still being studied, rather than claiming that scientists know every effect?

9.A younger student says, “Vapes only make water vapour, so they cannot affect my health.” Write a response that corrects the misunderstanding and includes one health concern from the passage.

10.Suggest one supportive action a group of friends could take to make it easier for someone to refuse vaping. Explain briefly why your action could help.