E-Cigarettes (Vaping) – Center for Young Women's Health

Key Facts

E-liquids contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals.
E-cigarette use can cause long-lasting breathing problems.
Some people die from a rare lung disease thought to be caused from vaping.
Vaping is unlikely to help you quit smoking, and it’s just as addictive as cigarettes.

The use of electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarettes) also called, “vaping” is a popular but harmful trend among teens and young adults. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2019, 1 in every 10 middle school students and 1 in every 4 high school students reported vaping in the last 30 days. People who vape are at risk of getting a serious lung disease that can cause life-long breathing problems and in some cases, even death.

What is vaping?

Vaping is a form of smoking that is highly addictive. Unlike regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes use a battery and e-liquid to create a vapor that is inhaled. Vaping may also be called, “Juuling”, the name of a popular brand of e-cigarettes and e-liquid. E-liquid comes in a variety of flavors such as mint, fruit, bubblegum and more. Most teens who vape don’t realize that even though it’s flavored, the liquid STILL contains nicotine. Nicotine is the same harmful and addictive chemical found in traditional or regular cigarettes. In February of 2020, the United States placed a ban on the sale of all flavored e-liquids, including menthol.

Here are some important facts about vaping:

Don’t be tricked by advertisements. The companies who make vaping liquids are trying to get teens and young adults to try it. Even though the liquid comes in many different flavors, it is NOT candy and most have been banned.
There are dangerous chemicals in vaping liquids such as metals including tin, nickel, and lead.
99% of vaping or e-liquid sold in the United States contains nicotine, even when the packaging doesn’t list it.
E-cigarettes contain up to 20 times MORE NICOTINE than regular cigarettes
Don’t be fooled. Marijuana (weed) and other drugs can be inhaled in e-cigarettes.
Anyone that is near a person who is smoking an e-cigarette is also exposed to the harmful effects of vaping.
Vaping is so new that scientists do not know all about the possible side effects yet.
Everyone should be keeping their lungs as healthy as possible, especially with the COVID pandemic.

If you vape and want to quit, talk to your health care provider. If you vape and notice a change in your breathing such as feeling short of breath while sitting or while active, or you have a new cough, tell a parent or trusted adult and see your health care provider before it gets worse. If you don’t vape, don’t start.

Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.