Get The Facts About Vaping

Research shows that vaping is dangerous, highly addictive and harmful to a child’s health and brain development. And like other addictions, it’s easier for kids to never start than try to stop. Get the facts, so you can have a conversation with your child. 

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What Is Vaping?

No. Vaping involves inhaling e-liquid, sometimes called “e-juice” in the form of aerosol produced by an electronic cigarette or vape device. The aerosols can contain flavorings, diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease,1 nicotine and other harmful chemicals and heavy metals.2 Vape cartridges or “pods” can also be filled with THC, CBD or other inhalable drugs.3

Yes, e-cigarettes and vaping devices are synonymous. Ever-evolving slang or brand names are also used to refer to vaping, including “blowing clouds,” a nod to the smoke “cloud” produced by exhaling chemical-filled aerosols.

E-cigarettes and vape devices come in a number of forms. While some resemble tobacco products, others resemble household objects like USB devices, pens, highlighters and chargers. Some devices are re-chargeable and other e-cigarettes like Elf Bar or Puff Bar are designed for one-time use and are disposable.

Vaping is easy to hide, and the signs can be easy to miss. Unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes don’t leave the telltale scent of tobacco. If you notice any of the following things, it’s best to talk with your child about your concerns and whether or not they may be  vaping.

  • Presence of unfamiliar technology, online purchases or packaging
  • Faint sweet or fruity scents
  • Behavioral and mood changes
  • Increased irritability or restlessness
  • Cutting back on caffeine
  • Desire for flavor due to tastebud degradation
  • Pneumonia
  • Increased thirst
  • Nosebleeds
Next: Why is vaping dangerous?

Why Is Vaping Dangerous?

Vaping is harmful and dangerous to kids. Almost all vape liquid contains nicotine, which is addictive and harmful to adolescent brain development, and vaping aerosols can contain chemicals linked to serious lung disease, and heavy metals.4

E-cigarettes deliver a high level of nicotine very quickly. Each vape pod or disposable vape product can contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes.5 And just so you know, nicotine is one of the most addictive substances along with heroin and cocaine.6

Most kids don’t know that the chemicals in e-cigarettes are addictive when they try vaping.

Nicotine is harmful to developing brains, affecting attention, learning, mood, impulse control, and memory.7 Nicotine use in youth can increase risk for addiction to other drugs as well; research shows that teens who have vaped are almost four times as likely to go on to smoke traditional cigarettes.8 The FDA is also investigating a link between seizures from nicotine overdose in kids caused by vaping.9

Good kids vape, too. Peer pressure and managing stress are some of the main reasons that kids start vaping, even "high-achievers". And as kids learn about how it makes them feel, they become addicted and often use it to cope with stress, anxiety or social situations. Some other reasons kids experiment with e-cigarettes include:

  • Rebelliousness/independence
  • Misinformation
  • Social media influence
  • Close family or friend influence
  • The flavors they come in
  • Smoke tricks or interest in marijuana
Previous: What Is Vaping?
Next: What Is Behind The Epidemic?

What Is Behind The Epidemic?

7.8% (1.21 million) high school students and 3.5% (410,000) middle school students reported current use of e-cigarettes.10 E-cigarettes have created a new trend of nicotine addiction among American teens. While the numbers have declined since a peak in 2019, youth vaping is still a public health crisis.

No vaping product has been approved by the FDA as a safe and effective way for adults or teens to quit and since e-cigarettes were introduced in the U.S. a little over a decade ago, there  is growing evidence of long-term side effects. In 2016, FDA published a rule clarifying that products made or derived from tobacco are regulated as tobacco products – including e-cigarettes and vaping devices.

And while FDA has issued an enforcement policy on flavored e-cigarette products, including fruit and mint flavors that appeal to kids, manufacturers are finding loopholes and continuing to market flavors to kids. A recent report revealed that over 87% of kids who vape use flavored vaping products such as fruit, candy, menthol and mint10.

Vaping companies are largely owned by Big Tobacco.

That’s right - the same companies who funded and promoted cancer-causing cigarettes are the ones funding vaping. 

Tobacco companies have repackaged the same or similar deadly products and continue their “tried and true” marketing tactics to target our kids.

As parents, you are the best line of defense when it comes to educating and protecting your child. Talk to your kids, before someone else influences their decision to use.  But also remember that you are not alone, schools, healthcare providers and community partners are important allies in helping your kids live a tobacco-free life.

Previous: Why is vaping dangerous?

Talk to your child about vaping.

The facts are clear. As you just learned, vaping is dangerous for your child. You can help prevent them from starting by having ongoing, proactive conversations. Explore our conversation guide and learn how to best share facts and concerns with your kid.

Get the Guide

There is a lot I did not know about vaping until now. You can’t just say to your kids, ‘You’re not allowed to vape!’ You have to educate yourself.

Michele
  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2016.
  2. Ogunwale, Mumiye A et al. (2017) Aldehyde Detection in Electronic Cigarette Aerosols. ACS omega 2(3): 1207-1214. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.6b00489].
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products.
  4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2016.
  5. Willett JG, Bennett M, Hair EC, et al Recognition, use and perceptions of JUUL among youth and young adults. Tobacco Control Published Online First: 18 April 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054273 
  6. Nutt, David, Leslie K, William S, Colin B. Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse. 24 March, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60464-4
  7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2016.
  8.  Barrington-Trimis JL, et al. E-cigarette Use and Subsequent Smoking Frequency Among Adolescents. Pediatrics, 2018; 142(6):e20180486.
  9. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA encourages continued submission of reports related to seizures following e-cigarette use as part of agency’s ongoing scientific investigation of potential safety issue. 7 August 2019.
  10.  Park-Lee E, Jamal A, Cowan H, et al. Notes from the Field: E-Cigarette and Nicotine Pouch Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:774–778.