E-cigarettes, vape & JUUL are the tobacco industry’s newest way to keep our people addicted to nicotine. In February 2019, JUUL representatives approached the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in an attempt to sell a cessation program to get smokers to switch from cigarettes to JUUL—they want us to trade one nicotine addiction for another. And now we’re fighting back.
Learn the truth. Share the facts. Vape and JUUL are NOT safe.
What are e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are any device that heats a solution (or e-liquid) and converts it into an aerosol (not a vapor), which is then inhaled and delivers nicotine and other chemicals to the user. This process is often called “vaping” or “juuling.” E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver other drugs, like marijuana, to the user.
E-cigarette and vape devices come in many shapes and sizes and go by many names, but no matter what you call them, they are all equally dangerous:
- electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)
- e-cigs
- e-hookahs
- mods
- vape pens
- vapes
- JUULsSource
Are e-cigarettes less harmful?
No one knows the long term health effects of vaping. They may be less harmful than cigarettes, but just because they’re less harmful than cigarettes, doesn’t mean they are safe. Life is sacred. So is the body. It’s not worth the risk.
The aerosol contains dangerous chemicals
At least 60 chemical compounds have been found in e-liquids, and more are present in the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes.Source It can contain harmful substances, including:
- Nicotine
- Heavy metals like lead
- Volatile organic compounds
- Cancer-causing agentsSource
Dangers to small children and pets
Our children are sacred. Having e-liquids at home can put your children at risk. If they accidentally ingest them, the nicotine can poison them. The chemicals in e-liquids can also be absorbed through the skin—just touching it can be very dangerous.Source
8 ways the nicotine in vape harms our children.
- Causes irreversible brain damage: The part of the brain that’s responsible for decision making and impulse control is not yet fully developed until age 25. Teens and young adults are at risk for long-lasting effects including nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control.
- Causes attention and learning problems: Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.
- Nicotine in vape is highly addictive: Each time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections—or synapses—are built between brain cells. Young people’s brains build synapses faster than adult brains. Because addiction is a form of learning, adolescents can get addicted more easily than adults.
- Gateway to smoking: Kids who vape are 4x more likely to start smoking which can lead to a lifetime of nicotine addiction.
- Toxic chemicals and metals: E-cigarette aerosol isn’t harmless water vapor— it can contain toxic chemicals and metals.
- Weakens immune system: Vaping weakens the immune system, increasing susceptibility to all kinds of illnesses and infections.
- Nicotine overload: Teens may not realize the level of nicotine they are inhaling. For example, 1 JUUL pod = 20 cigarettes worth of nicotine.
- Blood vessel damage: Vape that contains nicotine can increase blood pressure and heart rate and cause arteries to stiffen up. That means a higher risk for a cardiovascular event (think heart attack).