E-cigarettes and Vaping

Some research suggests that e-cigarettes might be less harmful than cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. However, there are still important health effects to using e-cigarettes.

Known health effects of nicotine:

• Nicotine is addictive
• Nicotine is harmful to developing fetuses
• Nicotine can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s

Use exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals:

• Including those added to e-liquids, and other chemicals produced during the heating/vaporizing process
• The aerosol created by e-cigarettes can contain ingredients that are harmful and potentially harmful to the public’s health, including: nicotine; ultrafine particles; flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which is found in car exhaust; and heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead

E-cigarettes can be used to deliver drugs other than nicotine. Some are designed for the purpose of delivering marijuana and marijuana concentrates, or oils such as CBD. These devices contain a battery, a heating element (bowl or atomizer), and a mouthpiece. They are designed to be discreet and often look like pens, cosmetics, or USB flash drives.

A recent study published in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence examined the potential for e-cigarette devices to be used for illicit drug delivery. A systematic literature search and review of online drug forums found evidence of current use of e-cigarettes to vape illicit drugs including:

• marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids,
• methamphetamine,
• MDMA,
• crack cocaine,
• synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”), and
• fentanyl

See the full infographic at NIDA.gov
E-cigarettes are popular among teens and are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States. In the United States, youth are more likely to use e-cigarettes than adults. According to the CDC, In 2016, more than 2 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. Their easy availability, alluring advertisements, various e-liquid flavors, and the belief that they’re safer than cigarettes have helped make them appealing to teens. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, e-cigarette use may serve as an introductory product for preteens and teens who then go on to use other tobacco products, including cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and premature death. The Because nicotine affects the development of the brain’s reward system, continued e-cigarette use can not only lead to nicotine addiction, but it also can make other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine more pleasurable to a teen’s developing brain (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, 2016).The 2017 Idaho Healthy Youth Survey (IHYS) asked questions about e-cigarette and vaping risk perception and use. The IHYS found:

• 36.5% of youth surveyed think there is “no risk” or “slight risk” of harming themselves physically or in other ways when they use a vape pen or e-cigarette.
• 23.9% have used a vape pen or e-cigarette at least once, while 5.1% used 100 times or more.
• 13.9% of students used a vape pen or e-cigarette in the past 30 days, with 3.3% using on 20 or more of the past 30 days.

Be Aware of JUUL

JUUL is a popular brand of e-cigarette that is shaped like a USB flash drive. Like other e-cigarettes, JUUL is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine liquid to produce an aerosol that is inhaled. All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. Although JUUL is currently the top-selling e-cigarette in the U.S., other e-cigarettes are becoming available that look like USB flash drives. Because of their shape, school teachers might not notice students using JUUL in school, including in classrooms and bathrooms. Check out the Truth Initiative report – Behind the Explosive Growth of JUUL.

39-5702: Definitions

“Electronic Cigarette” means any device that can provide an inhaled dose of nicotine by delivering a vaporized solution [and] includes the components of an electronic cigarette including, but not limited to, liquid nicotine.

• Idaho Code

39-5705: Sale or Distribution of Tobacco Products and Electronic Cigarettes to a Minor

Requirement to check ID And verify age before selling an e-cigarette

It shall be unlawful to sell, distribute or offer tobacco products or electronic cigarettes to a minor.

• Idaho Code

39-5706: Vendor Assisted Sales

Vending machine sales and self-service displays are restricted to adult-only tobacco stores that are clearly marked as such.

It shall be unlawful to sell, distribute or offer tobacco products or electronic cigarettes by any means other than vendor assisted sales where the customer has no access to the product except through the assistance of the seller.

(2)  On and after January 1, 2020, it shall be unlawful to sell or distribute tobacco products or electronic smoking devices from vending machines or self-service displays.

(3)  Stores with tobacco products or electronic smoking devices comprising at least seventy-five percent (75%) of total merchandise are exempt from requiring vendor-assisted sales, if minors are not allowed in the store and such prohibition is posted clearly on all entrance doors.

History:

• Idaho Code

Medical Organizations

• American Medical Association
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Cancer Society
• American Society of Addiction Medicine
• American Public Health Association