E-cigarettes are 'poisoning' the minds of young people.
Recently in Nghe An province, many 15-17 year old students have been hospitalized due to prolonged use of e-cigarettes. Doctors warn that the number of cases of mental disorders, psychosis accompanied by symptoms of intoxication, hallucinations, and delusions is showing an alarming upward trend.
According to Nghe An Psychiatric Hospital, recently, the number of 15-17 year old students admitted with symptoms of paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis has been on the rise.
.jpg)
However, determining which cases are caused by substance abuse or by e-cigarette use remains a challenge, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact number of students using substances or e-cigarettes containing synthetic drugs.
When students using e-cigarettes experience psychosis, it's almost certain that the e-cigarettes were mixed with synthetic drugs. Each patient typically takes more than three weeks of treatment before they can stabilize and be discharged.
Meeting with the family of a male student currently receiving treatment here, we learned that when they noticed unusual symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, slow reactions, incoherent speech, and isolating themselves in their room, they took him for a check-up. It was then that the family discovered he had been using e-cigarettes for the past two years.
After being hospitalized, the male student was diagnosed with a mental and behavioral disorder due to e-cigarette use. The patient received intensive treatment with psychotherapy combined with medication. After more than 10 days, his condition gradually improved.
Doctors at Nghe An Psychiatric Hospital reported that many students aged 14-17 are currently using e-cigarettes mixed with addictive substances such as marijuana and synthetic cannabis. Some students only use 9-10 puffs a day, while others smoke up to one device a day and are hospitalized with acute poisoning symptoms, including lethargy, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, and profuse sweating. Patients require immediate fluid and electrolyte replacement and emergency treatment.
Electronic cigarettes are attractively designed and have pleasant flavors, but they contain many harmful substances such as nicotine, glycerin, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and even synthetic drugs. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that creates psychological dependence; glycerin can cause pneumonia; and formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are compounds with carcinogenic potential.
Young people often fear short-term consequences like yellow teeth and bad breath, which are weaknesses of traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes, on the other hand, are fragrant, attractive, easy to use, and... far more dangerous, as they are harder to detect, easier to abuse, and silently damage the brain.
Doctors advise that the human brain develops most rapidly between the ages of 13 and 25. Using e-cigarettes containing e-liquids (especially those mixed with cannabis) during this period carries a high risk of irreversible brain damage. Parents should closely monitor their children; if they exhibit unusual behavior or emotions, such as restlessness or irritability, they should immediately take them to a specialized medical facility for examination.