e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.govKnow the Risks: E-cigarettes & Young People | U.S. Surgeon General’s Report

Know the Risks: E-cigarettes & Young People | U.S. Surgeon General’s Report -- Skip directly to site content Know the Risks: E-cigarettes and Young People hamburger menu icon get the facts know the risks take action about resources close Surgeon General of the United States A message to parents from the Office of the Surgeon General about the value of our kids' health and well-being. -- If you are having difficulty playing the any of our YouTube videos please either use Internet Explorer to access the video or change your YouTube player from Flash to HTML5 and refresh your browser window. The Flash based YouTube player is currently not accessible to screen readers. Audio Description Video share icon facebook icon twitter icon mail icon Share this video the facts on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults document icon Download Surgeon General Advisory television icon A Message from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. television icon  Good Mythical Morning’s Amazingly Amazing Science television icon  The U.S. Surgeon General visits Rhett & Link on Good Mythical MORE -- headphones icon Listen to the Audio PSA Audio PSA transcript share icon facebook icon twitter icon mail icon Share this page chevron down E-cigarette Basics E-cigarettes are devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales. The liquid usually has nicotine and flavoring in it, and other additives. The nicotine in e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes is addictive. E-cigarettes are considered tobacco products because most of them contain nicotine, which comes from tobacco. Besides nicotine, e-cigarettes can contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients, including: ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs flavorants such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease volatile organic compounds heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead chevron down E-cigarettes and Youth Don't Mix Adolescent years are times of important brain development. Brain development begins during the growth of the fetus in the womb and continues through childhood and to about age 25. Nicotine exposure during adolescence and young adulthood can cause addiction and harm the developing brain. Nicotine affects brain development, which continues to age 25. chevron down Trends E-cigarettes are very popular with young people. Their use has grown dramatically in the last five years. Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes is higher among high school students than adults. chevron down Health Risks of E-cigarettes The Office of the Surgeon General shares an important message about the possible dangers of e-cigarette use by young people. television icon Watch Video share icon facebook icon twitter icon mail icon Share this video chevron down No matter how it's delivered, nicotine is addictive and harmful for youth and young adults. E-cigarettes Are Unsafe for Young People No matter how it's delivered, nicotine is harmful for youth and young adults. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine as well as other chemicals that are known to damage health. For example, users risk exposing their respiratory systems to potentially harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes. Read about these and other risks young people face if they use e-cigarettes. bell icon Brain Risks arrow right icon Addiction warning icon Behavior Risks asterisk icon Use of Two or More Tobacco Products gears icon Aerosol and Other Risks In 2018, 1 in 5 high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past month. Prevention Talk with Your Kids Share with Friends and Family Learn More Talk with Your Kids You can influence your children's decision about whether to use e-cigarettes. Even if you have used tobacco yourself, your children will listen if you discuss your struggles with nicotine addiction. Be clear that you don't approve of them smoking or using e-cigarettes, and that you expect them to live tobacco-free. Use CDC's Parent Tip Sheet to help you talk with your children. This tip sheet offers facts and practical ways to start conversations with young people about the risks of e-cigarette use. Take Action about Brain Risks Share with Friends and Family E-cigarettes are relatively new products and many people don't know much about them. For example, many young people don't know that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Share information from this website with your friends and family so they can learn the facts about e-cigarettes. Take Action about addiction Learn More You can find many resources that discuss e-cigarette use among young people on this website. For general information on e-cigarettes, visit cdc.gov/e-cigarettes . For information about Surgeon General's reports, visit surgeongeneral.gov . Take Action about Aerosol Exposure Please contact us at SGReports@cdc.gov if you have questions about the report or content on this site. © All Rights Reserved This website is a product of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, created through a partnership between the Office of the U.S Surgeon General and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health. Home Get the Facts Know the Risks Take Action About Resources Viewers & Players...