Do your own research, protect your health, and take steps to eliminate any kind of tobacco use.
Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are becoming more and more popular, especially with young people. They are often pushed as an effective way to quit smoking or as a safer alternative to smoking for young people with appealing flavors like vanilla or mint.
Although vaping is often touted as an effective way to quit smoking regular cigarettes, the fastest rise is among young people who have never smoked traditional cigarettes.
Vaping may be less harmful than smoking regular cigarettes, but it is not harmless. E-cigarettes are not approved as a safe way to quit smoking, and their long-term health effects are still unknown. The safest choice is to quit all tobacco and nicotine products using proven treatments and support.
It’s important to understand the health risks associated with vaping and e-cigarettes and what steps you can take to quit.
What is Vaping?
Vaping means using an electronic nicotine delivery system such as an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), vape pen, or hookah pen. These devices heat a liquid derived from tobacco that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals to make an aerosol you breathe in.
What Should I Know about the Effects of Vaping on My Health?
Switching completely from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes is expected to be less harmful in the short term because vaping exposes you to fewer harmful chemicals than smoking. Many e-cigarette companies have promoted vaping as a harm-reduction tool for adult smokers who are trying to quit regular cigarettes. However, while vaping eliminates combustion-related toxins, it still delivers nicotine, which is addictive and has cardiovascular and neurological effects. Many unknowns remain about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapor and how they affect your health in the long term. Remember: no tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe.
Here are some health risks associated with vaping based on information from the Department of Defense and the CDC:
- Addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. People who have never smoked before can become addicted to nicotine by vaping.
- Nicotine is especially harmful during pregnancy. Vaping during pregnancy has been associated with low birth weight and preterm birth.
- Nicotine addiction can cause you to feel anxious, irritable, and depressed. When you crave nicotine, you may have a hard time sleeping or concentrating.
- Nicotine addiction or withdrawal can contribute to or worsen difficult emotions and mental health issues such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
- Other risks from the other ingredients:
- Aerosol from e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances in addition to nicotine, such as cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals like nickel and lead, and tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into your lungs.
- Vaping can cause throat and mouth irritation, coughing, headaches, and nausea. Rarely, serious lung injuries have happened, mostly with products containing THC or vitamin E acetate, not with regular nicotine e-cigarettes.
- E-cigarettes can malfunction and cause burns or injuries. The liquid can poison children if swallowed, so always keep these products out of reach.
- Youth and non-smokers: Vaping is especially risky for children, teens, and young adults. It can lead to nicotine addiction and may increase the chance of starting to smoke combustion cigarettes, increased risk of substance use (marijuana, alcohol), poorer mental health outcomes (including suicidal ideation), and injuries related to device malfunction. Nicotine can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25. Using nicotine during this time can harm those parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
- Some adults use e-cigarettes to try to quit smoking, but there is currently no e-cigarette that is approved by the FDA to help people quit smoking. Research shows that many adults who use e-cigarettes to stop smoking end up both smoking and vaping.
What Steps Should I Take to Quit Vaping or Help Someone Else Quit?
- Learn the facts about vaping. Maybe you have a friend who vapes, so you don’t see the harm in trying it, or maybe you’ve seen ads on social media promoting it. But don’t take someone else’s word for it. Speak with your primary care provider to better understand the health risks.
- Set a good example. If you’re an adult and you’re worried about your children vaping, set a good example by being tobacco-free. Make sure your children aren’t exposed to secondhand smoke or aerosols from vaping.
- Talk about it. Even if you think your kids aren’t ever going to try it, have an anti-vaping conversation anyway and explain the harmful effects of vaping. Be patient and create a trusting environment that makes it safe for discussion.
- Make a quit plan. If you are trying to quit tobacco use, it can help to have a plan. Set a quit date, learn about your triggers, and access supportive resources such as counseling, medication, or both.
- Learn strategies to manage nicotine withdrawal. People who vape can become addicted to nicotine, and you may experience nicotine withdrawal when you try to quit. It is important to have strategies in place to combat the temporary symptoms of withdrawal, such as staying busy and avoiding triggers. You can also consider using nicotine replacement products such as nicotine patches or gum.
- Get support. Quitting tobacco can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. There are tools and resources to help you or a loved one quit, including medications, counseling, coaching, apps, and more. The most effective and safest ways to quit smoking are:
- Nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges)
- Prescription medicines (like varenicline or bupropion)
- Counseling and support from healthcare providers.
- If you are thinking about using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits. The best way to protect your health is to quit all tobacco and nicotine products.
What Resources Are Available for Support?
- TRICARE–TRICARE offers smoking cessation services that may include counseling, medication, and other helpful resources. Create a quit plan with your primary care provider to begin your quitting journey today.
- YOUCANQUIT2–This Department of Defense tobacco and vaping cessation program offers many resources to help you find support, make a quit plan, and keep you on track.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Tobacco and Health page–VA offers such smoking cessation resources as behavioral counseling and cessation medication for Veterans. Develop a personalized plan that meets your needs and increases your chances for success.
- Quitlines–When you call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, you can speak confidentially with a highly trained quit coach for free. A coach can help you develop strategies to manage withdrawal symptoms, triggers, and more.
- Smokefreeteen.gov–This site provides information and resources designed to help young people quit vaping making a quit plan and dealing with vape cravings. Smokefree.gov also provides resources for adults who are ready to quit tobacco use, including tools like daily text messages, quit plan ideas, smokefree social media, and more.
- The CDC’s Smoking and Tobacco Use page–The CDC has plenty of information and resources related to vaping, its health effects, and the rise of e-cigarette use among youth.
Don’t let candy-flavored vapes and misleading marketing messages from the tobacco industry steer you in the wrong direction. Do your own research, protect your health, and take steps to eliminate tobacco use of any kind.