Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other vapor products are devices used to heat and aerosolize (turn into particles) highly addictive nicotine or other substances that a person can inhale into their lungs. The use of an e-cigarette is usually called "vaping."

E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, heating element, and place to hold a liquid, usually containing highly addictive nicotine, that is added or included in the device. The heating element aerosolizes the liquid for the inhalation of the liquid nicotine or other substance. E-cigarettes are called many different names, including "vapes," "e-cigs," "vapor products," and "electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)."

Other electronic vapor products that use e-liquids include e-cigars, e-pipes, and hookah pens (e-hookah).

For more information, see E-Cigarettes (Vapes).

Help for Youth and Young Adults Who Want to Quit Vaping

About two-thirds of youth in the U.S. who use tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, report wanting to quit and trying to quit.¹

DropTheVape is a free, confidential text program tailored for young people and young adults. It's a great resource for people of any age seeking help to quit vaping and other nicotine and tobacco products. DropTheVape is all about realistic goals and building on your strengths. You will learn ways to cope, grow, and take control at your own pace. Sign up for texts by visiting DropTheVape.org.

To order or download DropTheVape promotional materials in English, visit the DropTheVape Publication Page, locate the order form at the top of the page, choose which publications you wish to order and then submit your completed order form to bmcc@health.ny.gov.

Youth Vaping Is an Epidemic

Youth and young adults are the primary users of e-cigarettes.^2,3 In a national survey, middle school and high school students said their reasons for first trying an e-cigarette were a friend used them and curiosity.⁴ Among youth who continue to vape, their most common reasons for using e-cigarettes are they felt anxious, stressed, or depressed, or to get a high or buzz from the nicotine.⁴

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product by high school students in New York State.⁵ Although the cigarette smoking rate among youth is the lowest on record at 2.1%, nearly 1 in 5 high school students (18.7%) reported vaping nicotine in 2022.⁵ To view trends in any tobacco product use among youth, see Youth Tobacco Use Continues to Decline Across All Product Types in 2022, One in Five Youth Still Use Tobacco and Youth and Tobacco Use.

Nicotine Is Addictive and Dangerous for Youth and Young Adults

Most e-liquids contain nicotine, the highly addictive chemical in all tobacco products.⁶ Nicotine can harm the developing brain of adolescents and young adults, which can:

• lead to lower impulse control and mood disorders.
• disrupt attention and learning among youth and young adults.
• increase the risk for future addiction to other drugs.⁶

Some e-cigarette brands and other nicotine products state they contain synthetic nicotine rather than nicotine made from or derived from tobacco. New York State law restricts the sale of flavored vapor products intended or reasonably expected to be used with or for the consumption of nicotine, regardless of whether the nicotine is derived from tobacco or synthetic.

As of April 14, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulatory authority over synthetic nicotine as it does over tobacco-derived nicotine.

E-cigarette Aerosol Is Harmful

The e-cigarette aerosol users inhale and exhale is not harmless water vapor. With or without nicotine, inhaling e-cigarette aerosol and exposure to the aerosol is unsafe. E-cigarette aerosol can contain:

• highly addictive nicotine that can harm brain development
• ultrafine toxic particles that can interfere with the growth and work of the lungs and increase the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and asthma attacks
• harmful heavy metals such as lead, tin, and nickel
• volatile organic compounds that can cause long-term health effects including cancer.⁶

New York State Actions to Protect Youth from Nicotine Addiction

Almost all adults addicted to nicotine started smoking or using other tobacco products in their teens. Nearly 9 out of 10 adult smokers started smoking by age 18, and 99% of adults started by age 26.⁷

New York State has enacted strong policies to protect youth from accessing tobacco products and denormalize tobacco and nicotine use to prevent lifelong addiction, illness, and early death. Policies include banning the sale of flavored vapor products, ending price discounts on tobacco and vapor products, and banning the exterior display of tobacco and vapor product ads near schools. Learn more at New York State Tobacco Control Laws.

A priority of the New York State Tobacco Control Program is to prevent the initiation of tobacco use, including combustible tobacco and electronic cigarettes, by youth and young adults. The Program funds Reality Check, the youth engagement component for New York State teens, ages 13-18, to increase support for New York State's tobacco-free and vape-free norms through youth action and community engagement. Evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches are implemented to decrease youth tobacco use, protect youth from exposure to tobacco marketing and imagery, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Visit Reality Check for more information and to find your local Reality Check group.

For More Information about E-Cigarettes

• E-Cigarette Use Among Youth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• E-Cigarettes (Vapes) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Quit Vaping (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• Youth Vaping, Smoking, and Nicotine Use (truth initiative)
• E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products Visual Dictionary (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Vaping Nicotine = Brain Poison for Teens
• DropTheVape.com

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking Cessation: Fast Facts.
2. Birdsey J, Cornelius M, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:1173–1182. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244a1.
3. Kramarow EA, Elgaddal N. Current electronic cigarette use among adults aged 18 and over: United States, 2021. NCHS Data Brief, no 475. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2023. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:129966.
4. Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Cornelius M, et al. Tobacco Product Use and Associated Factors Among Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2021. MMWR Surveill Summ 2022;71(No. SS-5):1–29. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7105a1.
5. New York State Department of Health. Youth Tobacco Use Continues to Decline Across All Product Types in 2022, One in Five Youth Still Use Tobacco. Bureau of Tobacco Control. StatShot Vol. 15, No.1/May 2023.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth.
7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2012.
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Smoking Cessation. A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2020.