The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults (CDC).
The use of e-cigarettes remains the most commonly used tobacco product among Hoosier youth.
5.5% of middle school students, 18.5% of high school students, and 6.7% of adults reported current e-cigarette use (Electronic Cigarettes 2020)
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s (CDC).
E-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. These aldehydes can cause lung disease, as well as cardiovascular (heart) disease (American Lung Association).
E-cigarettes also contain acrolein, a herbicide primarily used to kill weeds. It can cause acute lung injury and COPD and may cause asthma and lung cancer (American Lung Association).
Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future (CDC).
In 2016, the Surgeon General concluded that secondhand emissions contain, “nicotine; ultrafine particles; flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which is found in car exhaust; and heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead.”
E-cigarettes have NOT been found to be safe and effective to help people quit smoking.
