Newsroom

Have you heard of “vaping” or “juuling”? It’s the act of inhaling aerosol produced by e-cigarette devices, often containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Frequently marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, vaping is unsafe for teens and young adults. Between 2017 and 2018, there was a 78% increase in vaping among high school students and a 48% increase among middle school students.

Parents should know the facts about e-cigarettes and how to talk with their kids about the dangers of vaping. Click here for OAG's new educational handout on vaping or read more below:

Vaping Facts

• E-cigarettes are unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development.
• E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful substances, including nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, flavorings that have been linked to lung disease, and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead.
• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.
• Many e-cigarettes come in kid-friendly flavors—including mango, fruit, and crème—which make e-cigarettes more appealing to young people.
• Youth are able to easily buy e-cigarettes online. Many online retailers sell counterfeit cartridges or “pods” that are compatible with Juul and other popular vaping devices. These cartridges are often manufactured overseas without rigorous testing or quality control measures in place. 
• The CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of lung injury associated with e-cigarette product use in adults and youth.

Tips for Parents

• Know the facts: Empower yourself to talk with your child about the dangers of vaping by knowing the facts with resources found at CDC.gov/e-cigarettes and E-cigarettes.SurgeonGeneral.gov.
• Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them: Don’t assume that your child knows about the dangers of vaping. Talk with your child and share information.
• Remind and repeat: Teaching your child about the dangers of vaping won’t happen in one sitting. Consider this an ongoing conversation.
• Know what to look for: E-cigarettes come in various shapes and sizes. Some e-cigarettes can even appear similar to USB devices, like flashdrives.

To learn more about the dangers of vaping for teens and young adults, visit CDC.gov/e-cigarettes or E-cigarettes.SurgeonGeneral.gov.