Tobacco, E-cigarettes, and Vaping

Do you know what’s in your e-cigarette or vape? The aerosol ― that you breathe in and exhale ― can contain:

• Nicotine – which is addictive
• Cancer-causing chemicals
• Heavy metals – such as nickel, tin, and lead
• Flavorings – such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Ultrafine particles – that reach deep into the lungs

The Smoke

There are more than 7,000 chemicals in commercial tobacco smoke. (Such as: ammonia, benzene, butane, hydrogen cyanide, and toluene.) This includes hundreds of chemicals that are toxic, and about 70 that can cause cancer.

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can cause heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer in people who don’t smoke. Children are especially vulnerable.

Health Effects

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body ― heart and blood vessel disease; lung disease; cancer (almost anywhere in your body); and impacts to your bones, eyes, teeth, gums, fertility and pregnancy.

When You Quit

• In minutes: Your heart rate drops.
• In 24 hours: Nicotine level in your blood drops to zero.
• In several days: Carbon monoxide in your blood drops to the level of someone who doesn’t smoke.
• Over time, you decrease your risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. You increase your ability to support a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The Time is Now

Visit smokefree.gov or text QUIT to 47848 (No matter whether you smoke, chew, dip, vape, hookah, or something else.) Tools and tips include:

• Building your quit plan
• Medications (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler, nasal spray)
• Managing withdrawal and cravings
• Staying smoke free for good
• Helping others quit
• Smokefree text messaging
• Smokefree app

Find your state’s quitline, by calling 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669).

Resources

Individuals and Families

• Smokefree.gov
• Vaping and Youth: Stay in the Know (PDF | 7.8 MB)
• You Can Quit Tobacco
• Truth Initiative
• Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking
• Know the Risks: E-Cigarettes and Young People
• E-Cigarettes
• Secondhand Smoke

Parents and Caregivers

• Talking with Your Teen About Vaping

Community Members and Practitioners

• Evidence-Based Strategies for Youth Vaping Prevention (PPTX) | 112 MB)*
• The Real Cost Campaign
• Quitting Tobacco: Helping Your Clients to a Healthier Life
• Synar Amendment and Tobacco 21
• National Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery

*This content is undergoing Section 508 remediation. If you need assistance to access this file, please contact 508@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Reducing Vaping Among Youth and Young Adults

This guide supports health care providers, systems, and communities seeking to prevent vaping.

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Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in SUD Treatment Settings

This guide contains an overview of the challenges associated with tobacco cessation.

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Store Outro

Find more resources on tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping on the SAMHSA Library.

Need Help?

For mental or substance use disorders, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889, or text your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U), or use the FindTreatment.gov to get help.

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