E-cigarettes: What You Need to Know

Most electronic cigarettes, also known as vapes and e-cigs, contain nicotine, even some the manufacturers claim do not.

Nicotine is an addictive substance that makes e-cigarette use harmful to anyone, but especially adolescents and young adults whose brains still are developing. Nicotine can disrupt brain development; create permanent changes in the brain; adversely impact learning, memory, attention, impulse control, mood and respiratory health; and make the young person more susceptible to nicotine addiction.

A typical e-cig pod or cartridge contains about as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes, making it extremely dangerous around a curious young child. Talk to your children about e-cigarettes today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has a parent tip sheet to help you.