Vaping (E-Cigarettes)

What Is Vaping?

Vaping is when you inhale a mist of flavoring and other chemicals using a small handheld device, like an e-cigarette, vape pen or mod. Vaping doesn’t make water vapor. It creates an aerosol (mist) that contains small particles of nicotine, metal and other harmful substances.

It’s similar to smoking a cigarette, but vaping heats tiny particles out of a liquid rather than burning tobacco. You breathe these particles into your mouth and nose. From there, they go into your throat and lungs. Both vaping and smoking are addictive and bring potentially dangerous chemicals into your body.

What are the dangers of vaping?

Vaping can damage your lungs and other organs. It causes breathing problems, addiction and other issues. People tend to think of vaping as “safer” than smoking, but it’s not safe.

Risks of vaping include:

• Addiction: Nicotine is highly addictive. It causes changes in your brain so you want more and more of it. This means you might not be able to stop vaping.
• Asthma: Vaping can make you more likely to get asthma and other lung conditions. It can make existing asthma worse.
• Cancer: Some ingredients in e-liquids are known to cause cancer.
• Congenital (present-at-birth) conditions: Vaping while pregnant can cause lung damage and brain damage in the developing fetus. It may also cause low birth weight.
• Fires and explosions: Vape devices can sometimes explode or catch fire. This is uncommon, but it can cause serious injuries or burns.
• EVALI (e-cigarette- or vaping-use-associated lung injury): EVALI is a serious lung condition that vaping can cause. It can be fatal.
• Lung scarring: Diacetyl, a chemical used in some flavorings, can cause bronchiolitis obliterans (“popcorn lung”). This leads to permanent scarring in your lungs.
• Organ damage: Nicotine and other substances in vape juice can hurt your heart and brain. They can affect brain development, raise your blood pressure and narrow your arteries.
• Secondhand exposure: Vaping doesn’t make smoke, but it creates a mist that exposes people around you to nicotine and other chemicals.

Many people start out vaping and end up smoking cigarettes, which have higher amounts of harmful chemicals.

What are the side effects of vaping?

Short-term reactions to vaping include:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Eye irritation
• Headaches
• Dry and irritated mouth and throat
• Nausea

How do e-cigarettes (vape pens) work?

There are many varieties of e-cigarettes that go by different names, including vapes, vape pens or sticks, e-hookahs, hookah sticks, mods and personal vaporizers (PVs).

Most types of e-cigarettes are made up of:

• A cartridge, tank or pod that holds liquid and may be refillable
• A heating element for turning the liquid into breathable particles (aerosol, commonly called “vapor”)
• A battery to power the heating element
• A power or control button, which may be activated by sensors when you inhale
• A mouthpiece to breathe in the aerosol

E-cigarette ingredients

“Vape juice,” also called “e-liquid” or “e-juice,” is what vaping devices use to make the vapor you breathe in. E-liquids aren’t just water. They usually contain:

• Flavoring: Each flavoring has its own set of ingredients.
• Nicotine: This is an addictive and harmful substance in cigarettes and other tobacco products.
• Propylene glycol and glycerin: These are used to create vapor.

E-liquids and flavorings sometimes have other ingredients, including:

• Chemicals that can cause cancer (carcinogens), like acetaldehyde and formaldehyde
• Chemicals known to cause lung disease, such as acrolein, diacetyl and diethylene glycol
• THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical in marijuana that gets you “high”
• Vitamin E acetate, which is linked to lung injury caused by vaping
• Heavy metals, like nickel, tin, lead and cadmium
• Tiny (ultrafine) particles that can get deep into your lungs

How can I quit vaping?

Quitting vaping is similar to quitting smoking, sticking to a diet or changing any other habit. It won’t happen overnight. But you can make a plan to help you along the way, and let your family and friends know so they can provide support. Patches, inhalers, lozenges and gum can also help.