What Parents Need to Know About Drugs, Vaping, and Teen Health --A Nurse's Warning

In this episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids, nurse Verna Boyd shares what she has seen from the medical side of teen drug use, vaping, and substance exposure — and why parents cannot afford to ignore it.

From nicotine addiction and vaping-related lung injuries to marijuana’s impact on the developing brain, this conversation goes beyond headlines and into the real health consequences showing up in hospitals, clinics, and emergency rooms.

We talk about:
• Why vaping is not harmless for kids
• What “popcorn lung” really is — and what it does to the lungs
• How nicotine and THC affect the developing brain
• Why “supervised use” at home increases risk instead of reducing it
• The danger of normalizing alcohol or drug use with teens
• Warning signs parents often miss
• What to do if your child is using substances
• How untreated anxiety, depression, and learning differences can lead kids to self-medicate
• How parents can create protection through connection, boundaries, and early intervention

This episode is not about fear for fear’s sake — it’s about giving parents the information they need before small choices become lifelong consequences.

If you’re a parent, caregiver, or educator, this is a conversation you need to hear.