Risks of using electronic cigarettes: Nicotine, addiction, and health effects

No tobacco product, including electronic cigarettes, is safe.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and poses health risks for pregnant women. The aerosol from e-cigarettes may also contain harmful and potentially harmful substances. These include carcinogenic chemicals and microscopic particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

Nicotine is extremely addictive. It is toxic to developing fetuses and poses health risks for pregnant women. Acute exposure to nicotine can be toxic. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, inhaling, or absorbing e-liquid through their skin or eyes. Nicotine presents unique risks for young people because their brains are still developing. It can harm brain development, which continues until around the age of 25. Young people can begin to show signs of nicotine addiction quickly, sometimes even before regular or daily use begins.

Using nicotine during adolescence can damage parts of the brain that control attention, learning, and mood. In addition, teenagers who use nicotine may be at increased risk of future addiction to other drugs. Youth who vape may also be more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes in the future.

The use of e-cigarettes among adults is on the rise, with about 3 in 10 adult vapers also smoking regular cigarettes. This is known as dual use. Dual use is not an effective way to protect health. It can lead to greater exposure to toxins and worse respiratory outcomes compared to using a single product.

Dual use is more commonly observed among older adults. Many adults who use e-cigarettes have never smoked regular cigarettes. Some adults use e-cigarettes in an effort to quit smoking. Currently, no e-cigarette is approved as a smoking cessation aid. E-cigarettes may have the potential to benefit adult smokers if used as a complete substitute for all smoked tobacco products.

Most adult e-cigarette users want to quit smoking. About 60% of adults who use e-cigarettes report having future plans to quit vaping.

There are many factors associated with adult tobacco product use, including vaping. These factors help explain why some groups use tobacco products more than others. Some examples include:

• The tobacco industry uses targeted marketing and advertisements to reach specific groups and communities.
• Tobacco companies use flavors to entice certain groups of people to try tobacco products.