A new device disguised as a pen raises concerns about youth vaping

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Vaping has been a growing problem for teens in recent years and now, there are some new devices that may be making things worse.

It may look and write exactly like a regular pen, but don’t let its looks deceive you. It’s called a “Penjamin Cart Pen.” It can discreetly hold THC or nicotine cartridges.

One police department in Kansas put out a warning to parents - urging them to stay aware.

McMillen Health in Fort Wayne says, “It’s very important for parents to stay aware of these things and have open communication with their children to say, ‘hey this might seem cool, but it is not healthy for you.”

The packaging uses Gen Z phrases like “rizz” and “it’s just a pen bro.” McMillen Health been educating young people about the dangers of vaping for years. They think this is a step backward.

“That is scary it is, because these are young minds that are easily susceptible to new products so it’s just so important that we get ahead of this.”

The Indiana Legislature considered a Senate Bill this session that would have prevented companies from selling vape product by using “certain terminology that is attractive to minors.” The bill didn’t pass.

Sabrina Marquez Straessle with McMillen Health says, “It seems that more information is coming out with vapes each day, and the numbers of vape users are rising at a younger and younger age.”

The vape market is constantly changing - so for parents, staying on top of what your kids have access to is important.

“I think that it’s very important for parents to be aware of this, it can be very dangerous for those kiddos to be using products that they don’t know could damage their health or their attention span.”