Teens and E-Cigarettes
There are lots of names for e-cigarettes, including e-cigs, mods, vape pens and e-hookahs. These devices heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales. The nicotine in e-cigarettes, like that in regular cigarettes, is addictive. (E-cigarettes are considered tobacco products because most of them contain nicotine, which comes from tobacco.) Besides nicotine, e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients, including:
- Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deeply into the lungs
- Flavorants such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease
- Volatile organic compounds
- Heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead
The teen years are times of important brain development, which continues to about age 25. Nicotine exposure during adolescence and young adulthood can cause addiction and can harm the developing brain.
Source: Office of the U.S. Surgeon General
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