Vaping

Zach's Story (Vape Documentary)

VAPING AND E-CIGS

WHAT ARE THEY?

E-cigarettes usually contain nicotine and may have other harmful substances too. There’s a lot of conflicting information about them. We still have a lot to learn, but here’s what we currently know.

E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are often called e-cigs, e-hookahs, vapes, vape pens, tank systems, or mods. They come in many different shapes and sizes—some look like a regular cigarette, some look very different. There is a lot of talk about e-cigarettes. Some of it is true, but some of it is not.

You may have seen ads or stories on the internet that say e-cigarettes are not harmful, or are a good way to help smokers quit smoking. However, doctors and researchers still have a lot to learn about the health effects of e-cigarettes. While e-cigarettes may be less harmful than regular cigarettes, this does not mean that they are harmless.

Data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) show more than 1.6 million middle and high school students using e-cigarettes in 2024, the most common form of tobacco use among youth in the U.S. Nicotine pouches are the second-most commonly used tobacco product among youth, with nearly half a million middle and high school students using nicotine pouches in 2024. 1 The frequency of e-cigarette use by teens is especially alarming with over 40% of high school students who vape doing so frequently (20 or more of the past 30 days), and close to 30% are vaping daily.

In Tangipahoa Parish, students as young as 6 years old have been caught at school with vapes.

The Known Health Risks

Compared with regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes have been on the market a short time—about 11 years. Scientists are studying e-cigarettes to understand how using them affects people’s health. Here’s what doctors and researchers know right now:

E-cigarettes usually contain nicotine.
- Nicotine is what makes tobacco products addictive. Be aware that some e-cigarettes that claim to be nicotine-free have been found to contain nicotine.
E-cigarettes are harmful for youth, young adults, and pregnant women.
- The nicotine in e-cigarettes is harmful for developing babies, and can lead to addiction and harm brain development in children and young adults into their early 20s. Although there is still much to learn about e-cigarettes, the evidence is clear that the harmful health effects of using e-cigarettes means teens and young adults should not use them.
E-cigarettes contain other harmful substances.
- While e-cigarettes typically have fewer chemicals than regular cigarettes, they still contain heavy metals like lead, flavorings linked to lung disease, small particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, and cancer-causing chemicals. Being near someone using an e-cigarette can expose you to the aerosol and the chemicals in it. This is similar to secondhand smoke from regular cigarettes.