Vaping / E-Cigarettes/ Tobacco
The CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a national outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI). Click here for the most up-to-date information regarding this outbreak.
Quick Facts About Vaping
● Research has shown that if someone vapes, they are more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
● Many people use e-cigarettes and other vaping products to help quit smoking, but there is little evidence that using these products reliably help smokers quit, or reduce the amount that they smoke. The nicotine in vapes may even continue the addiction to nicotine.
● Safer does not mean safe. Cigarettes are still the deadliest form of tobacco, but vaping is not safe either. There are several chemicals in vapes that are proven to have negative effects on your body. Also there is still nicotine in vaping products, which can make electronic cigarettes just as addictive as traditional cigarettes.
● E-cigarettes and other vaping devices have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for being a cessation aid, and until recently, there were little to no standards set by the FDA for the manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes.
● There is no federal oversight over vaping devices, which makes it difficult to determine the real dangers of any specific vaping product. There are several different variations of products with different concentrations of ingredients
https://www.acha.org/ACHA/Resources/Topics/E-Cigarette_and_Vaping_Resources.aspx
| Ingredients | What is it? | How it affects you and bystanders |
| Nicotine | The addictive part of e-cigarettes | Harmful cardiovascular effects; harmful to fetal lung & brain development; permanent effects on developing brains of children, teens, and young adults |
| Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) | Psychoactive mind-altering compound of marijuana that produces the “high” | Harms developing brains, increase blood pressure, anxiety |
| Cannabinoid (CBD) | Chemical in cannabis plant. Used to treat epilepsy, anxiety, Parkinsons as well as other conditions | Blood thinner, nausea, irritability, fatigue, when taken with prescription drugs it makes the prescription drugs less effective |
| Acrolein | A colorless liquid that is added to vapes as a filler and what also gives off vapor cloud | Increases risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, emphysema |
| Metal and Silicate particles | Particles that come from the heating coils and end up in the vapor that is inhaled | Toxic to human cells; some metals higher in second hand aerosol than in secondhand tobacco smoke |
Individual Tobacco Cessation Coaching
Make an appointment to meet with a medical provider (Student Health Center) to assist you in developing a quit plan. You are more likely to succeed with your quit attempt if you have a plan, use nicotine replacement products and prescribed medication.
Tips to Quit Vaping
Don’t vape
On the first day you decide to quit, the most important thing is that you don’t vape—not even one hit. Having a plan for how you will deal with triggers and urges to vape can make your quit day easier.
If you smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products, now is a good time to quit those too. We know it can seem challenging to quit smoking or using other tobacco products at the same time as quitting vaping, but becoming totally tobacco free is the best thing you can do for your health
Stay busy
You will probably think about vaping a lot, which is totally normal. Staying busy will help you keep your mind off vaping, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings. Try some of these activities:
- Go for a walk, ride a bike, or do your favorite workout.
- Make a new playlist on your favorite music app.
- Have gum or candy handy.
- Keep your hands busy with a pen or toothpick, or play a game on your phone.
- Drink lots of water.
- Relax with deep breathing.
- Plan a fun activity with friends and family who do not use vapes or any other tobacco products.
Avoid Vaping Triggers
Triggers are the people, places, things, and situations that set off your urge to vape. Try to avoid these at all costs. Here are some tips to help you outsmart some common vaping triggers:
- Throw away your vapes, e-liquid bottles, pods, and chargers.
- Go to places where vaping isn’t allowed.
- Stay off social media accounts that remind you of vaping.
- Get plenty of rest and eat healthy. Feeling tired or run down can trigger you to vape.
- Change your routine to avoid the places and things you might associate with vaping.
Ask for help
You don’t have to do this alone. Tell your family and friends that you’re trying to quit and let them know how they can support you. For example, ask a friend to help you celebrate your first day being vape-free.
Reward Yourself
At the end of the day, reward yourself for being vape-free for 24 hours. You deserve it! It doesn’t have to be a big or expensive reward. Even taking extra time to do a favorite vape-free activity will make you feel good and help you be ready for day two of your quit attempt.
https://teen.smokefree.gov/quit-vaping/your-first-day-without-vaping
Resources to Help Quit Vaping
- This is Quitting: a free program designed specifically for young adults to quit vaping or smoking. To enroll in this program, you can text DITCHJUUL to 88709. The first messages that you will get will ask for your age and which product(s) you use so they can individualize their services.
- BecomeAnEX: a free, digital quit-smoking plan and online community of thousands of smokers and ex-smokers developed by Truth Initiative in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. It has helped more than 800,000 people develop the skills and confidence to successfully quit. Research has shown that following the BecomeAnEX quit plan quadruples a tobacco user’s chance of quitting. https://www.becomeanex.org/
- You can talk to a tobacco cessation counselor for free if you call 1-800-44U-QUIT or 1-800-QUIT-NOW. There is also a live chat online that is provided from the National Cancer Institute’s live help service which can be found at https://livehelp.cancer.gov/app/chat/chat_launch
- My Life My Quit is another resource that has a number that you can call or text to talk to a coach for free to help quit vaping and tobacco usage. You can text Start My Quit to 855-891-9989 or call that number to get in touch with a coach.
Additional Resources
- Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Information
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Smoking & Tobacco Use
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Electronic Cigarettes
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Vaporizers, E-Cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
- American Lung Association’s Statement & Facts on E-cigarettes
- How to Quit
- Tobacco Cancer Fact Sheet
- National Library of Medicine: Quitting Smoking
- Smoke Free.gov
