E-Cigarettes and Youth
Vape, Juul, e-hookah, e-cig, mods. These are all names for e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that provide doses of nicotine and other additives to the user in an inhaled aerosol. They are brightly colored and come in 7000+ kid-friendly flavors. E-Cigarette are illegal for anyone under 18 years old to purchase, use, and possess, but use among teens is still on the rise. According to a recent report by the CDC,1 of every 4 Colorado high school students, over double the national average, used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days.* Kids are attracted to them because of their sleek tech appeal, variety of candy flavors, and impressive "cloud tricks" found in numerous online videos.
E-Cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans. Because clinical studies about the safety of e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you have no way of knowing: which chemicals they contain, if they are safe, or how much nicotine you are inhaling**. There is currently no way of knowing the long term effects of e-cigarette use.
E-Cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans. Because clinical studies about the safety of e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you have no way of knowing: which chemicals they contain, if they are safe, or how much nicotine you are inhaling**. There is currently no way of knowing the long term effects of e-cigarette use.
E-Cigarettes and Quitting Smoking
E-cigarettes aren't currently approved by the FDA as a quit smoking aid. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of health experts that makes recommendations about preventive health care, has concluded that evidence is insufficient to recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation in adults.*** Click here to learn about other options for quitting.
Safe Disposal and Storage
Did you know that you shouldn't throw your e-cigarette in the trash? Nicotine, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals in e-cigarettes can harm the environment. Devices should also be kept out of reach of kids and pets to avoid poisoning.
Take your e-cigarette device and components to Weld County Household Hazardous Waste for FREE disposal.
Take your e-cigarette device and components to Weld County Household Hazardous Waste for FREE disposal.
References:
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
**FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2014. Online.
***https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/tobacco-use-in-adults-and-pregnant-women-counseling-and-interventions1
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
**FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2014. Online.
***https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/tobacco-use-in-adults-and-pregnant-women-counseling-and-interventions1