CS298852-A

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

» E-cigarettes have the potential to benefit adult smokers who are not

pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and

other smoked tobacco products.

» E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or

adults who do not currently use tobacco products.

» While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm

others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are

effective for quitting smoking.

» If you’ve never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes,

don’t start.

WHAT ARE E-CIGARETTES?

» E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,”

“mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems.”

» Some e-cigarettes are made to look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens,

USB sticks, and other everyday items.

» E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive

drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—flavorings, and other chemicals

that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also

breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.

» E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

Disposable

e-cigarette

Tanks & Mods Rechargeable

e-cigarette

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WHAT IS IN E-CIGARETTE AEROSOL? 

THE E-CIGARETTE AEROSOL THAT USERS BREATHE FROM THE DEVICE AND 

EXHALE CAN CONTAIN HARMFUL AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SUBSTANCES:

NICOTINE

ULTRAFINE 

PARTICLES

FLAVORING SUCH AS 

DIACETYL, A CHEMICAL 

LINKED TO A SERIOUS 

LUNG DISEASE

CANCER-CAUSING 

VOLATILE CHEMICALS

ORGANIC 

COMPOUNDS

HEAVY METALS SUCH AS 

NICKEL, TIN, AND LEAD

It is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain. For example, 

some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to 

contain nicotine.

ARE E-CIGARETTES LESS HARMFUL THAN REGULAR CIGARETTES?

YES, but that doesn’t

mean e-cigarettes are safe. 

E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic

chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in

smoke from regular cigarettes. However, e-cigarette

aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful and

potentially harmful substances, including nicotine,

heavy metals like lead, volatile organic compounds,

and cancer-causing agents.

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WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF USING E-CIGARETTES?

SCIENTISTS ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS 

OF E-CIGARETTES. HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW NOW.

1

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which has 

known health effects

» Nicotine is highly addictive.

» Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses.

» Nicotine can harm adolescent brain development,

which continues into the early to mid-20s.

» Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women

and their developing babies.

2

Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can contain 

substances that harm the body. 

» This includes cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles

that reach deep into lungs. However, e-cigarette aerosol

generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than smoke

from burned tobacco products.

3

E-cigarettes can cause unintended injuries.

» Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and

explosions, some of which have resulted in serious

injuries. 

» In addition, acute nicotine exposure can be toxic.

Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing,

breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid.

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CAN E-CIGARETTES HELP ADULTS QUIT SMOKING CIGARETTES?

E-CIGARETTES ARE NOT 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, concluded that the evidence is insufficient to recommend e-cigarettes 

for smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant women.

HOWEVER, e-cigarettes

may help non-pregnant adult 

smokers if used as a complete 

substitute for all cigarettes and 

other smoked tobacco products.

TO DATE, THE FEW STUDIES ON THE ISSUE ARE MIXED. 

Evidence from two randomized controlled trials found that e-cigarettes with nicotine can help smokers 

stop smoking in the long term compared with placebo (non-nicotine) e-cigarettes.

A recent CDC study found that many adults are using e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking. 

However, most adult e-cigarette users do not stop smoking cigarettes and are instead continuing 

to use both products (“dual use”). Because smoking even a few cigarettes a day can be 

dangerous, quitting smoking completely is very important to protect your health.

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WHO IS USING E-CIGARETTES?

E-CIGARETTES ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED 

TOBACCO PRODUCT AMONG YOUTH.

IN THE U.S., 

YOUTH ARE 

MORE LIKELY 

THAN ADULTS 

TO USE 

E-CIGARETTE

In 2018, more than 

3.6 MILLION

U.S. middle and high school 

students used e-cigarettes in 

the past 30 days, including: 4.9%

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

STUDENTS

20.8%

HIGH SCHOOL

 STUDENTS

AMONG CURRENT E-CIGARETTE USERS AGED 45 YEARS AND OLDER 

in 2015, most were either current or former regular cigarette smokers, and 

1.3% had never been cigarette smokers. 

IN CONTRAST, AMONG CURRENT E-CIGARETTE USERS AGED 18–24 YEARS, 

40.0% had NEVER BEEN regular cigarette smokers

IN 2015, AMONG ADULT E-CIGARETTE 

USERS OVERALL:

58.8%

were current regular 

cigarette smokers 

11.4%

had never been 

regular cigarette 

smokers

29.8%

were former 

regular cigarette 

smokers

In 2017, 2.8%

of U.S. adults were current 

e-cigarette users

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