Teens who vape are more likely to steal and commit violent crimes, according to a new study by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
The study, published this month in The Journal of Criminal Justice, tracked a national sample of U.S. youths in the eighth and 10th grades, and found that those who vaped were at an elevated risk for committing acts of violence and property theft. Those who vaped marijuana instead of smoking it were at an even more at risk for criminal activities, the researchers said.
“This is in part due to the vape’s ability to conceal illicit substances,” said lead study author Dylan Jackson, a UTSA criminal justice professor.
“Parents may think their kid is smoking tobacco—but it’s difficult to really tell. Our hope is that this research will lead to the recognition among policymakers, practitioners, and parents that the growing trend of adolescent vaping is not simply ‘unhealthy’—or worse, an innocuous pastime—but that it may in fact be a red flag or an early marker of risk pertaining to violence, property offending and other acts of misconduct.”