Warning on vape pens as teen nearly dies: ‘Vaping is not cool’

One in five teens are doing it and parents are none the wiser, but vaping has real dangers as one mother shares her son’s story of seizures and near-death experience.

A mother has shared the heartbreaking account of how her 17-year-old boy stopped breathing and had a seizure after vaping nicotine, in the hope other parents can avoid this potentially deadly trap.

It comes as health authorities warn of an explosion of children vaping nicotine from cheap disposables that look like USB sticks or marker pens and are easily hidden in pencil cases.

Emily Clutterbuck said Levi, 17, stopped breathing at home in March after suffering a suspected seizure related to vaping. After performing CPR and calling the ambulance, the teen suffered another seizure on the way to the hospital.

“Unfortunately on the way to hospital Levi had a second seizure. He turned blue and stopped breathing for 90 seconds,” she said.

“Levi had been using a vape pen immediately before his seizure.”

Levi in hospital after suffering a seizure after vaping nicotine. Picture: Supplied

After a battery of tests, underlying conditions such as epilepsy were ruled out but nicotine in high doses can cause seizures.

“Doctors and paramedics all put this down to the stupid vape pens which had been purchased without our knowledge,” she said.

“They are not fun, they are not a ‘cool’ thing to do, they are dangerous and can be fatal.”

The vape pen Levi had used. Picture: Supplied

Emily Clutterbuck's post on her son Levi. Picture: Supplied

Head of Respiratory Medicine at Concord Hospital Professor Matthew Peters said parents were in the dark as to what to look for, sharing with The Sunday Telegraph images of vape pens that had been confiscated at a north shore school.

“The kids are buying disposable devices that last one to six days and parents would not recognise it as a toxic form of nicotine delivery,” Prof Peters said.

“These devices, as a way of kids getting addicted on nicotine through vaping, have only really been a 12-month phenomenon.”

According to the recent research, one in five teens between 15 and 17 years have vaped.

“Now you can buy one for $7 and that contains 300 puffs. Parents would not necessarily notice them, they might not recognised them as containing nicotine. Parents need to be rapidly educated on what these devices look like,” he said.

Vapes are easily bought online for as little as $7. Picture: Supplied

The vape pens can be purchased online, on Facebook marketplace under the category of “fruit” or bought at corner stores and children are often unaware they contain nicotine, Prof Peters said.

“There is nothing on the device that says it contains nicotine. The kids are being told at convenience stores this doesn’t have nicotine in it,” he said.

“I know from an analysis done that they all contain nicotine and nicotine salts, which are more addictive because they are rapidly absorbed.”

Of concern is that the vape pens contain a much more addictive form of nicotine that they can secretly use with a parent’s knowledge.

“Fifteen puffs gives you the same nicotine as you’d get from smoking a cigarette and kids are vaping 20 times a day,” he said.

“What chance would a 15-year-old have of smoking 20 cigarettes a day — there is no way. But they can very easily use their vaping pod 20 times a day.

Vapes are sold under the title ‘fruit’ on Facebook. Picture: Supplied

Professor Matthew Peters said kids are getting addicted to vapes. Picture: Supplied

“It costs them $7 instead of $40 (for cigarettes) and they are getting a much more intensive amount (of nicotine) in adolescence.

“Parents need to be educated and a little bit scared — these kids are addicted, it is a really additive form of nicotine delivery.

“The kids are nicotine junkies.

“We need (the pods) out of the corner stores, off the internet, off Facebook, away from market stalls.”

Professor of Public Health Simon Chapman said the vape pens were clearly marketed to teens with flavours such as bubblegum and strawberry ice-cream.

“Disposable vapes are being sold opening up and down the country and they all have nicotine in them,” he said.

“They are imported from China, landing them in for $1 and selling them for up to $35. The flavours are like a candy store. They are so sickly sweet tasting, so they are aimed at very immature palates.

“If an industry doesn’t replace its quitting and dying customers, it needs a new cohort of nicotine addicts coming through.

“On Facebook Marketplace you just put in the word fruit and you’ll find the ads there.”

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced, as of October 1, 2021, consumers importing nicotine will require a doctor’s prescription to legally access nicotine e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine.

Originally published as Warning on vape pens as teen nearly dies: ‘Vaping is not cool’