FAQs

E-cigarettes – sometimes called vapes – are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol that delivers nicotine through inhalation. They are available in thousands of flavors and come in a variety of sizes. E-cigarettes or vapes can deliver massive amounts of nicotine – some may contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes or more.

Yes. Most vapes contain nicotine and other toxic chemicals which can be harmful:

• Nicotine is a highly addictive additive and can impact the brain which continues to develop until age 25.
• If too much nicotine is inhaled, it could cause poisoning which is known to trigger seizures.
• Harm to your lungs – vaping can expose you to toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and heavy metals – such as lead, chromium and nickel.
• Over time, the nicotine in vapes causes brain changes that affect your mood, attention, learning, and memory. It can also affect your physical performance – people who vape may experience coughing, wheezing, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness.
• Flavored vapes may also include Diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease often called “Popcorn Lung.”

American Lung Association

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

No. Vapes don’t make smoke, so a lot of people assume they’re the “safer” choice. But the real issue isn’t smoke, it’s nicotine. Most vapes use something called nicotine salts, which let you inhale way more nicotine than a cigarette, without the harsh throat hit that normally makes people cut back. Some devices pack as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes into one device, and because they feel smooth and easy to use, people end up vaping constantly throughout the day. That combination, more nicotine and less discomfort, is exactly what makes vaping so addictive. For teens, it can hook you faster and harder than a cigarette ever would.

The heated liquid in vapes or e-cigarettes can produce toxic chemicals like:

• Propylene glycol – safe as an additive in food, but when heated can be a lung irritant and cause inflammation.
• Formaldehyde – a chemical used for embalming and linked to cancer.
• Acrolein – A chemical used to kill weeds and can cause serious lung damage.
• Diacetyl – A flavoring chemical linked to a serious lung disease called “popcorn lung.”
• Diethylene glycol – A toxic chemical used in antifreeze that can harm the lungs.
• Heavy metals – Such as nickel, tin, and lead that can harm your lungs.
• Benzene – A harmful chemical found in car exhaust that can damage the central nervous system and other organs over the long-term.

American Lung Association

Yes, growing evidence says so. When the liquid inside a vape gets heated up, it doesn’t just turn into harmless flavored water vapor. That heating process creates chemicals like formaldehyde and heavy metals, the same kinds of substances linked to cancer in other contexts. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects since vapes haven’t been around that long, but the research so far keeps pointing the same direction: vaping raises the risk of lung and oral cancers. “New” doesn’t mean “safe,” it just means we’re still finding out how bad it is.

“Popcorn Lung” is the nickname for Bronchiolitis obliterans, a chronic lung disease. The condition damages the tiniest airways in your lungs (bronchioles), causing coughing and shortness of breath. Using vapes or e-cigarettes puts you at risk for “Popcorn Lung.” American Lung Association

Though e-cigarettes do not produce smoke, the cloud exhaled is not harmless water vapor. E-cigarette aerosol can contain many of the same chemicals found in e-cigarettes including heavy metals, cancer-causing substances, and ultrafine particles. Secondhand aerosol can be involuntarily inhaled by bystanders, and long-term exposure impacts are still being studied.

American Heart Association

The most common reason U.S. middle and high school students give for trying a vape or e-cigarette is that a friend used them. Others reported that they were curious about vaping. The many flavor options also make vapes attractive to teens. E-cigarettes have been the most popular tobacco product among youth in the U.S. since 2014. In 2025, over 1.4 million U.S. youth reported current use, with nearly 90% reporting that they use a flavored product. Youth are not just experimenting with e-cigarettes but are reporting daily use—an indicator of addiction.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Your body has gotten used to a steady supply of nicotine, so when you stop, it reacts. You might feel irritable, anxious, foggy, or just off for a while. Here’s the part that matters most though: those feelings are temporary. Your brain and body are recalibrating, not breaking down, and the discomfort fades as your system resets. The people who quit successfully aren’t the ones who never feel it, they’re the ones who push through the rough first stretch, knowing it gets better.

If you’re over 18, visit CommitToQuitCT.com or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free, personal counseling and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

If you’re under 18, text START MY QUIT to 36072 and get connected with a quit coach. Learn more at VapeFreeCT.org.

Anyone 13 years of age or older can text VAPEFREECT to 88709 to receive anonymous 24/7 text support to quit nicotine.