Vaping and Associated Risks

• “E-cigarettes are known by many different names, including e-cigs, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS), e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, vaporizers, vapes, and tank systems”.
• “E-cigarettes heat a liquid – called e-liquid or e-juice – to turn it into an aerosol (sometimes called a "vapor"). E-cigarette users inhale this into their lungs”.
• “The e-liquid in most e-cigarettes contains nicotine, the same addictive drug that is in regular cigarettes… However, nicotine levels are not the same in all types of e-cigarettes”. (American Cancer Society)

(American Cancer Society: What do we know about E-cigarettes? https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/e-cigarettes-vaping/what-do-we-know-about-e-cigarettes.html)

E-Cigarette use is estimated the highest among adults aged 18-24 years (8.6%) (2020 estimate). That is about 1 out of every 12-college aged individuals.

 (National Center for Health Statistics. Percentage of current electronic cigarette use for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2019, Jan-Jun—2021, Jan-Jun. National Health Interview Survey. Generated interactively:Apr 01 2022 from https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/ER_Biannual/index_biannual.html​)

It was estimated that on average between 10 to 15.5% of 18-24 year olds were e-cigarette users in MI. (2017 data)

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data [online]. 2015. [accessed Apr 01, 2022]. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/brfssprevalence/.) 

“Yes—but that doesn’t mean e-cigarettes are safe. E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from regular cigarettes. However, e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including nicotine, heavy metals like lead, volatile organic compounds, and cancer-causing agents.” (CDC).

(CDC. About Electronic Cigarettes. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/about-e-cigarettes.html#one)

The brain keeps developing until about age 25 and Nicotine can harm this process.(1)​“Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control”.(2)

 (1 .US Department of Health and Human Services. A Report of the Surgeon General. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/e-cigarettes/pdfs/2016_sgr_entire_report_508.pdf)

(2. CDC. Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html)

Even E-Cigarettes with no Nicotine can still contain harmful heavy metals like Nickel, Tin, or Lead.​ Many of these elements (9 out of 11 identified) were higher than or equal to concentrations found in cigarette smoke. Small nanoparticles were present in vape aerosol that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. “Overall, E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant adults, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products”. ​

(1. US Department of Health and Human Services. A Report of the Surgeon General. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/e-cigarettes/pdfs/2016_sgr_entire_report_508.pdf)​

​(2. CDC. Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html)