Vaping or the use of electronic devices work by heating a liquid, which usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol or vapor. Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs and exhale the aerosol or vapor into the air.
Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air. E-cigarette aerosol is NOT a harmless “water vapor.” The e-cigarette aerosol users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including:
- Nicotine
- Ultrafine particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs
- Flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease
- Volatile organic compounds
- Cancer-causing chemicals
- Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead
Vape pens or e-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid. Some look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products.
They are also known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,”, “JUULs”, “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice,” or “vape liquid.” Vape devices can also be used to deliver THC (marijuana) and other drugs.