Vaping & Tobacco

What Is Vaping?

Vaping is inhaling a vapor created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other vaping devices.

How Does Vaping Work?

E-cigarettes (or “vape pens”) heat a liquid until it becomes a vapor, which is inhaled. The liquid (e-liquid or “vape juice”) can contain nicotine or marijuana distillate, or oil. E-cigarettes can be refillable or pre-filled with cartridges containing the e-liquid. The pre-filled e-cigarettes (called “Puff Bars”) are designed for one-time use. After taking a certain number of “puffs,” the user throws the device away.

What Are the Health Effects of Vaping?

The health risks of vaping include:

• Addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that’s highly addictive. You don’t have to vape every day to get addicted.
• Anxiety and depression: Nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control, and attention, especially in developing brains.
• Becoming a smoker: People who vape are more likely to start smoking regular (tobacco) cigarettes and may be more likely to develop other addictions.
• Sleep problems
• Exposure to cancer-causing chemicals
• Chronic bronchitis
• Lung damage that can be life-threatening

Other health effects are possible that we don’t yet know about. Vaping hasn’t been around that long, so its health risks aren’t all known.

Why Should I Quit?

Wanting to be the best, healthiest version of yourself is an important reason to quit vaping. Others include:

Addiction: Addiction in the growing brain may set up pathways for later addiction to other substances.

Brain risks: Nicotine affects your brain development, making it harder to learn and concentrate. Some of the brain changes are permanent and can affect your mood and ability to control your impulses as an adult.

Use of other tobacco products: Studies show that vaping makes it more likely that someone will try other tobacco products, like regular cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco.

Toxins (poisons): The vapor made from e-cigarettes is not made of water. The vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles that are inhaled into the lungs and exhaled into the environment.

Sports: You want to do your best in sports, and vaping may lead to lung inflammation (irritation).

Money: VAPING IS EXPENSIVE! The cost of the cartridges over time starts to add up. Instead, you could spend that money on other things