Everyone remembers the day in elementary school when a public speaker had students breathe through a coffee straw, simulating a smoker’s breathing patterns. It’s definitely something that strikes fear into youth.

However, this generation of young adults is growing up to believe that there is a healthy alternative compared to smoking: vaping.

Vaping is a rather recent trend. Often referred to as “e-cigarettes” or “vaporizers,” capsules of “water vapor” are inserted inside the battery-operated vaporizer, where the heating unit turns the fluid into vapor when the individual takes a drag. They are advertised to be healthier, safer and even tastier than cigarettes, with their wide range of flavored vapors to choose from. The number of teens using e-cigarettes has increased significantly since 2011, where the percentage settled around 1.1 percent, but has increased to 16 percent as of 2015, recorded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, the idea that this trend is “healthier” and “safer” is incredibly untrue. Firstly, one common argument is simply the fact that both cigarettes and vapors contain nicotine, which is incredibly addictive and terrible for the body and brain, a fact everyone knows. But this alone is just the tip of the iceberg. Some brands that sell “water vapor” are recorded to also use formaldehyde, and others are recorded to use antifreeze as well.

Another argument, regarding a different side of the matter, is that even though vaping is not exactly healthy, it helps kids stay away from actual cigarettes and tobacco. However, the CDC records that while more teens are using e-cigarettes, the number of tobacco users hasn’t really changed as of 2015. In actuality, there are just more kids being encouraged to smoke who never have before. More kids are smoking; they’re just distributed into different groups: those who use cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookahs, smokeless tobacco — the list goes on. E-cigarettes are increasing the number of teen smokers.

The harm that e-cigarettes can do to your mouth and oral health is of concern as well. The chemicals found in e-cigarettes can cause tooth loss, gum disease and oral cancer, just like regular cigarettes.

Smoking — in any form– should never be encouraged. Whether or not the act of vaping is shown to be “healthier” or “the lesser of two evils” should not matter. In the end, both acts are pumping chemicals into your body and cause it to grow weaker and function incorrectly.

Don’t encourage your peers to “seek out a healthier alternative”, because such a thing does not exist. Encourage them to stay away from smoking, vaping, tobacco and nicotine as a whole.