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KNOW THE RISKS

A Guide To E-cigarettes

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Quiz

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Quiz

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TOPICS 1

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NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT, IT’S AN E-CIGARETTE

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E-CIGARETTES COME IN MANY DIFFERENT SHAPES

E-cigarettes are devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales.

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Quiz

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Quiz

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TOPICS 2

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WHAT IS NICOTINE?

Here you will see the dictionary definition of nicotine. We don’t expect you to know what all of these things are, but it’s important to have a basic understanding of what nicotine is before you can understand why using an e-cigarette is risky.

Nicotine is a drug found in tobacco plants. It’s also frequently used in insecticides to kill bugs. When you are hanging out with your friends, would you want to take a puff of insecticide? I’m guessing not.

Also, you should know that nicotine is the drug found in tobacco products that makes them addictive. That means that once you use it, your body will continue to want more.

When you use e-cigarettes, nicotine is quickly absorbed into your body and goes directly to your brain. Nicotine activates areas of the brain that make you feel satisfied and happy. Putting nicotine in your body is dangerously addictive, and it can also prime your brain for addiction to other tobacco products, or even harder drugs, like cocaine.

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Nicotine Comes In Different Types

So we’ve told you what nicotine is, but did you know there are different types of nicotine?

Some of you may have taken chemistry already, or you might be taking it in a few years. So you may know about the pH scale, which measures what chemicals are in liquids, such as in a swimming pool or a hot tub. Raise your hand if you’re familiar with the pH scale. So why are we showing you this? Well, pH matters when it comes to how harsh nicotine is on your body, particularly your throat when you’re inhaling it.

Most nicotine in cigarettes and e-cigarettes is what we call free-base nicotine, which means it’s very blue on the pH scale. The more blue on the scale, the more volatile or crazy it’s going to be, which means that it will be harsher on your throat.

But get this: manufacturers of JUUL have found a way around the harshness factor. They added a chemical to the nicotine, which causes it to become more red on the pH scale. By making it more red, it then becomes what we call nicotine salts, rather than free-base nicotine. Nicotine salts are less harsh on your throat. This is of particular concern for young people because it allows for nicotine to be used more easily, which increases the likelihood of trying an e-cigarette and getting hooked.

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JUUL Contains a High Amount of Nicotine

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Quiz

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Quiz

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HOW DOES NICOTINE IN �E-CIGARETTES IMPACT THE BRAIN?

Youth who use nicotine can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

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Nicotine Can Lead to Addiction

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BEHAVIOR RISKS

Youth who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke regular cigarettes in the future.

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Quiz

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Quiz

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E-cigarettes Make Aerosol, Not Vapor

Do you want to know what you are inhaling into your body when you use e-cigarettes?

Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can contain cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals, and ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deeply into the lungs and harm your body.

And even though e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than regular cigarettes, safer doesn’t mean safe. This applies to both people using e-cigarettes, as well as people who may be exposed to secondhand aerosol from other people using e-cigarettes. In fact, did you know that the smoke or vapor from 1 cigarette or e-cigarette can affect people up to 25 feet around you?

By the way, those flavorings in e-cigarettes aren’t necessarily safe either. Your gut can handle a lot more than yours lungs and flavorings in e-liquids or pods may not be safe when inhaled. For example, the same flavors they put in your favorite starbucks drinks is the same chemical used to flavor e-juice. It’s ok to drink, not to heat and inhale.

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“THE REAL COST” YOUTH �E-CIGARETTE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN: EPIDEMIC

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E-cigarette Poisonings

Source: American Association of Poison Control Centers

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Defective E-cigarette Batteries Can Cause Fires and Explosions

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TOPICS 3

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Surge in E-Cigarette Use Among Youth

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Youth Exposure To E-cigarette Advertising is Increasing

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Examples of E-cigarette Advertising

Sources: Marlboro ad on Google images , Vintage cigarette ads on Google images, JUUL billboard in NYC, blu eCig ad

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Same Players, New Products

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USE OF FLAVORS IS PROMINENT AMONG YOUTH

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General—Executive Summary.

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TOPICS 4

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BE TOBACCO FREE!

Use My Life My Quit just for teens.
Text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989

Ask for help from family, friends, healthcare providers, and/or counselors.
Don’t give up.
Make a quit plan.

If you haven’t started using tobacco, don’t start. In fact, most teens DON’T use e-cigarettes or other tobacco products! Can someone take a guess as to what percent of 11th graders in Iowa vaped in 2018? 22%.

If you use e-cigarettes or other tobacco products, the sooner you quit, the better.

Most importantly, get help, and don’t do it alone.

Here are some tips that you can do that will make a big impact on your quit journey:

Asking for help isn’t weak, it’s a smart move! If you feel comfortable, talk to friends or adults you trust about wanting to quit.
It’s normal for people to slip up when they’re trying to quit. If you slip up, don’t think of it as a failure. It just means you might want to try quitting in a different way.
Being prepared increases your chances of quitting successfully. Make a plan, stick to it, and keep trying to quit until you get it down.

My Life My Quit is a new cessation program just for teens to help them quit. It’s a completely free resource. You can text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989 to start, it’s that simple.

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AVOID SECONDHAND EXPOSURE

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SPREAD THE WORD & GET INVOLVED!

Get involved in ISTEP

in your community.

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RECAP

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TOPICS 6

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TOPICS 7

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3.

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4.

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FINAL SLIDE

Most Important Takeaway

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Questions?

Tabetha Gerdner

Tabetha.Gerdner@idph.iowa.gov

515.281.7132