Are e-cigarettes a dangerous teen trend?

E-cigarettes are a huge trend. It has caught on like wildfire among teens and young adults, who are led to believe that it’s a healthy option that gives the thrill of smoking minus the harmful effects. But is this true?  

What are e-cigarettes? 
E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol, which is a mix of small particles in air. Most e-cigarettes are battery driven, have a heating element, and a space to hold the liquid. Some e-cigarettes look like usual cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, while others may look like a USB drive, a pen, or any other item. E-cigarettes are also known by different names such as e-cigs, e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, tank systems and most popularly, vapes. Some are even called electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Consuming e-cigarette is called vaping.  

What do e-cigarettes contain that may harm users?  
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, an addictive substance which is the first reason we are supposed to avoid real cigarettes. To make it worse, they contain other harmful substances too. The liquid in it has flavourings that often has harmful chemicals that damage organs, especially the lungs and mouth, and cause addiction. Finally, criminals are actually using e-cigarettes to supply teens and young people with marijuana and banned chemical mixes. Like regular cigarettes, people around the person who is vaping are harmed by passive smoking.  

Why is nicotine so bad for smokers?  
A 2021 CDC study found that 99% of the e-cigarettes sold in assessed venues in the US contained nicotine. Some of their labels did not disclose that they had nicotine, and some actually claiming to be nicotine free still had it. 

Nicotine can harm the developing brain, which is particularly bad for teens. Adolescents consuming nicotine can harm parts of the brain controlling attention, learning, mood, and impulses. Nicotine can literally slow our brain by reducing the speed of nerve connections or synapses. Nicotine dependency is often the first step towards more substance abuse.   

Are there any other risks posed by e-cigarettes?  
Defective e-cigarette batteries have even caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.