Vaping and E-Cigarettes

What is vaping?

Vaping is the use of an e-cigarette. E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid containing nicotine and other ingredients, such as flavorings.
E-cigarettes come in many different shapes and sizes. The devices may be disposable (one-time use) or rechargeable.
E-cigarettes may be known by many other common names, such as “vapes,” “e-cigs,” “mods,” “tanks,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems” or “ENDS.”
Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, while others look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.
Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs. People nearby may also inhale the aerosol when the user exhales the aerosol into the surrounding air.
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. However, they may also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.
Some e-cigarettes, like pod-based systems such as JUUL, contain very high levels of nicotine. One JUUL pod has the equivalent amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.
E-cigarette aerosol is NOT harmless “water vapor,” despite the terms used to describe them (“vaping” and “vapes”). The aerosol can contain many harmful chemicals, including:
Nicotine
Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deeply into the lungs
Flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical that is known to cause damage to the lungs
Volatile organic compounds
Cancer-causing chemicals
Heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead

Youth and Vaping

E-cigarettes contain nicotine – an addictive drug found in all tobacco products.
Nicotine is harmful to the developing adolescent brain. Brain development continues up until about the age of 25. Any nicotine use during this developmental phase can increase risks of developing mood disorders, permanent lowering of impulse control, and future addictions to other drugs. It can also harm the part of the brain that controls attention and learning.
Additionally, youth may be using marijuana and other drugs in vaping devices. According to the 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey, about 20% of 12^th and 10^th graders vaped marijuana, a rate that doubled from the previous survey.
Because vaping is still a recent development, the long-term effects are unknown. However, e-cigarettes contain some of the same ingredients and chemicals that other tobacco products contain, which are known to have long-term health impacts.

Vaping cessation help

Free resources for quitting vaping:

My Life, My Quit

A free quit program just for teens in Ohio. This 100% confidential program is focused on helping young people quit vaping. Text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989 or call to speak with a quit coach today. You can also visit the website:

My Life, My Quit

This is Quitting

A nationally developed program by the Truth Initiative to help young people quit vaping. It’s free to join. Text DITCHJUUL or DITCHVAPE to 88709 to get started.

This is Quitting

National Smoke-Free resource for Teens

This is a national resource through the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is specific to youth/teens and has plenty of tips and helpful resources to help with quitting vaping.

Smoke Free Teen

E-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI)

In August 2019, health departments across the United States saw sudden increases in severe, and sometimes fatal, cases of pulmonary infections linked to e-cigarette use. Many of the cases occurred in healthy individuals and young people without history of illness. Symptoms included shortness of breath and fever, and led to many hospitalizations.
Vitamin E acetate and THC appeared to be the main culprits, however there were cases that reportedly did not include these ingredients.
To learn more about cases of EVALI or to report EVALI, follow the link: Vaping Pulmonary Illness Reporting