E-cigarettes, which are sometimes called vapes, vape pens, tank systems or e-hookahs, are products that heat liquids to create a vapor that can be breathed in. They come in many forms including single use products, devices with replaceable pods, and refillable tank systems. Most of the time, the liquid heated to create the vapor contains nicotine, which is then breathed in and enters the bloodstream like nicotine from a cigarette. While it may seem that these products won’t have negative effects on your health because they don’t burn tobacco like cigarettes, this may not be the case.

E-cigarettes Are Addictive

Nicotine is the chemical that makes tobacco products addictive. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Some e-cigarettes contain more nicotine than cigarettes because of extra-strength nicotine cartridges or because people who use these products can increase the voltage on the device to get a bigger “throat hit.” When you quit vaping, you can experience withdrawal symptoms like you would if you were to quit other tobacco products.

E-cigarettes Don’t Help You Quit Smoking

Although ads have claimed e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any e-cigarettes for use as a tool to help you quit cigarettes. Some studies suggest that people who try to use e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking cigarettes are more likely to end up vaping and smoking cigarettes rather than quitting tobacco products altogether.

Vaping Releases Harmful Chemicals

When you breathe in the vapor created by an e-cigarette, you’re breathing in more than just water. Aside from nicotine, e-cigarettes also contain:

• Propylene glycol, a food additive that is also used to make things like antifreeze.
• Acrolein, a chemical used in weed killers.
• Benzene, a volatile organic compound found in car exhaust.
• Cancer-causing chemicals like acetaldehyde and formaldehyde.

These all have the potential to cause long-lasting damage to your body.

Vaping May be Harmful to Your Heart and Lungs

Nicotine is a toxic substance. Vaping e-liquid that contains nicotine exposes you to some of the same risks as cigarettes: Nicotine can:

• Raise your blood pressure.
• Spike your adrenaline, the hormone your body makes when you respond to stress.
• Increase your risk of having a heart attack.

People who vape nicotine are also more likely to have asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ready to protect your health by quitting tobacco for good? Check out some of the resources here to help you get started on your path to a tobacco-free life.