By Hanley Foundation Prevention Specialist Liam Lipham
- Vapes are known by many different names. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are defined by Merriam-Webster as battery-operated devices that are typically designed to resemble traditional cigarettes and usually used to inhale a nicotine-containing vapor. Juul, e-liquid, e-juice, puff, mods, tank system, vape pen, e-cigs, electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), and vapes are just some of the names that e-cigarette products can be called according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
- Vaping is harmful. E-liquid contains many cancer-causing chemicals, and tiny particles that reach deep into the lungs: propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, diacetyl, and lead are just some of the chemicals the CDC says can be found in e-cig vapor. Vaping damages the lungs and weakens the body’s immune system making you more likely to get sick with a cold, respiratory infection, and even the coronavirus, according to the nonprofit website, The Truth.
- The CDC notes that 99% of e-liquid contains nicotine. Nicotine is the highly toxic and addictive substance found in tobacco, as indicated on Dictionary.com, and the same addicting substance found in cigarettes. This means that 99% of Juul, e-juice, and other vaping products are highly addicting. No wonder people who vape are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes, according to TheTruth.com.
- Most teens DON’T vape. Although the use of e-cigarettes has gained some popularity in the past five years, the truth is that MOST teens do not vape. In a 2019 teen survey noted by the CDC, 89.5% of middle school students reported being vape free.
- Quitting is just a click away. If you or someone you know uses e-cigarette products, there are many different vaping resources to help leave e-cigarettes behind, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
You are NOT in this alone.
Text:
Text DITCHJUUL to 88709 to receive tips, tricks, and encouragement to get through the stress of quitting. More than 150,000 people have used this text service from The Truth to stop.
Text QUIT to 47848 to sign up for a 6-week Smokefree text messaging program by SmokefreeTXT. By signing up for this NIH resource, you can receive support on how to overcome cravings and triggers.
Download This App:
Download the quitSTART app for both Apple and Android. This NIH app is tailored with tips, inspiration, and even has games and challenges to distract you from cravings.
Call:
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) to speak with a live NIH expert any day of the week from 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM EST.
Follow These Social Media Platforms:
Follow @truthorange and join over 58,000 followers who all agree that it’s time to ditch vaping.
Follow @smokefreeus from the NIH to connect with thousands of people who have committed to being smoke-free.
Resources:
Centers for Disease and Control. About electronic cigarettes (E-Cigarettes). https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/about-e-cigarettes.html#eight
Truth. Vaping + coronavirus: here’s what we know. https://www.thetruth.com/articles/hot-topic/covid19
Truth. Get the facts. https://www.thetruth.com/the-facts/fact-399
National Institutes of Health. Become a smoke-free teen. https://teen.smokefree.gov/
Truth. Want 2 quit vaping? https://www.thetruth.com/articles/impact/want-2-quit-vaping
National Institutes of Health. Download quitSTART. https://teen.smokefree.gov/become-smokefree/quitstart-app
