Facts Page

E-cigarettes and other vaping devices are NOT risk-free.

Contrary to popular belief, e-cigarettes are not the healthy alternative to cigarettes. These devices may, in fact, be more harmful to the body. Since e-cigarettes are rather recent innovations, medical research has not had the opportunity to study the long term effects that these devices may have. Scientists hypothesize these effects may include:

Damage to the brain, heart and lungs
Cancerous tumor development
Preterm deliveries and stillbirths in pregnant women
Harmful effects on brain and lung development, when use occurs during fetal development or adolescence

(Center On Addiction)

Nicotine can affect brain development and functioning in young people.

Young adolescents brains are more susceptible to addiction, which means by using nicotine products, teenagers are more likely to become addicted. Brain development in teenagers is not fully complete, and addiction may interfere. It can interrupt cognitive functioning and increase the risk of mental health problems in the future.

(Center on Addiction)

MRI of a brain while smoking a cigarette. Although it isn't an e-cigarette, this image shows the effect that nicotine has on the function of the brain. When nicotine bonds with neurons in the brain, it releases a chemical known as dopamine, which gives you an artificial feeling of euphoria.

Vaping is an epidemic amongst teenagers.

12% of all high schoolers vape regularly and 37.3% of 12th graders have reported vaping at least one in the past year. Almost half of all senior students have tried vaping before. The Juul era has taken over young teens across the globe, especially in the United States. Kids everywhere are not just trying nicotine, but getting addicted.

(DrugAbuse.Gov)

Infographic created using canva.com using data sources listed below

E-Cigarettes are not a healthy alternative for cigarettes

A common misconception about e-cigarettes amongst youth is that "It's better than cigarettes." While this may be true, so much money has been poured into the anti-smoking campaign for our youth that it was unlikely for many to even smoke cigarettes in the first place. Although electronic cigarettes are a healthier option than cigarettes, they are not a healthier option than NOTHING.

(Dr. Halpern Felsher)

Vaping costs a FORTUNE

Users begin with a rechargeable battery that costs around $35-50 dollars. From there, e-liquid ( a flavored substance combined with nicotine and chemicals) can cost around $20 per 30mL container. Athra.org predicts that per year, vaping costs the average user upwards of around $1, 150.

(Athra)

Hoffman, Jan. “The Price of Cool: A Teenager, a Juul and Nicotine Addiction.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/health/vaping-juul-teens-addiction-nicotine.html.

Mimmette. “Vaping Cost.” ATHRA, athra.org.au/vaping/vaping-cost/.

“Nicotine & Addiction.” Smokefree Teen, teen.smokefree.gov/the-risks-of-tobacco/nicotine-addiction.

Polosa, Riccardo, et al. “Health Impact of E-Cigarettes: a Prospective 3.5-Year Study of Regular Daily Users Who Have Never Smoked.” Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group UK, 17 Nov. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693960/.

“Quick Facts on the Risks of E-Cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html.

Raven, Kathleen. “Your Teen Is Underestimating the Health Risks of Vaping.” Yale Medicine, www.yalemedicine.org/stories/teen-vaping/.

“Tobacco, Nicotine, & E-Cigarettes.” NIDA for Teens, 1 Dec. 2018, teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes.

Truth Initiative. “How Much Nicotine Is in JUUL?” Truth Initiative, Truth Initiative, 26 Feb. 2019, truthinitiative.org/news/how-much-nicotine-juul.

Scott, Heather. "Smoking MRI" - JPEG. 25 February 2016

Report abuse