Estonian health museum helps students understand vaping risks

The Estonian Health Museum is helping students understand the risks of vaping through videos, classroom materials and museum lessons, ERR reported. Its “Pilt selgeks!” project aims to address what the museum says is a decline in young people’s perception of the risks of e-cigarettes.

Museum learning designer Liis Raadla said 55 percent of students surveyed had tried an e-cigarette at least once, 38 percent had used one in the past year and 25 percent in the past month. Use has declined among boys but risen among girls, she said.

Raadla said a common misconception is that e-cigarettes contain only flavoured water vapour. They can contain nicotine, glycerol, propylene glycol and other substances that should not be inhaled, she said. Nicotine can reach the brain in six seconds and quickly raise dopamine levels, briefly creating a sense of wellbeing before the levels fall again. E-cigarettes can also affect the heart and lungs, irritate the airways and cause dry mouth and bad breath, she said.

E-cigarettes are passed between users, offered in social media groups and ordered online, making them relatively easy to obtain, Raadla said. The Health Board has produced three educational videos for teachers, including practical advice on how students can refuse an e-cigarette in a social setting. Raadla said young people had responded well to the videos.

Classes can also take part in the “Pilt selgeks!” challenge by investigating myths about vaping and making a short video.