You might have heard of vaping and electronic cigarettes around neighborhood parks or the school playground. Vaping is the use of devices like e-cigarettes to create a vapor that you can inhale. E-cigarettes are often presented as a safe alternative for people instead of smoking cigarettes, and they are marketed in a way that's appealing to children and teens. Read more.

VADM Jerome Adams, Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, says, "The recent surge in e-cigarette use among youth, which has been fueled by new types of e-cigarettes that have recently entered the market, is a cause for great concern. We must take action now to protect the health of our nation’s young people."

Surgeon General's Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth.

Tobaccofreekids.org states one in four high school students uses e-cigs. Let's end this youth epidemic.

Big Tobacco is Back with a New Way to Addict Kids: Juul's flavored E-Cigarettes - Fact sheet produced by tobaccofreekids.org

NBC News and Today health and medical news writer/reporter Erika Edwards states, "Addictions to electronic cigarettes are derailing the dreams of promising young athletes, leaving them struggling to breathe, keep up with their teammates and find motivation to practice."

NBC News: Vaping Is Hurting Teenage Athletes, Dashing Their Future in Sports (July 10, 2019).

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and local health departments are investigating cases of severe lung illness in people with a recent history of vaping.

• Vaping Epidemic
• E-cigarettes - Trends, Facts, and Associated Dangers fact sheet

What can parents and youth do about vaping and vaping-associated lung injury?

STOP/DO NOT USE E-CIGARETTE/ JUUL PRODUCTS UNTIL THE EPIDEMIC IS OVER

It's important to communicate to your children about the dangers of vaping-associated lung injury. Visit these websites for tips on starting the conversation:

• How to talk with your kids about vaping
• Surgeon General: Parent tip sheet on e-cigarettes
  

If you use e-cigarette products or your child vapes, and you experience or notice any of the symptoms described above, seek medical care immediately.

Regardless of the ongoing investigation:

• Youth and young adults should not use e-cigarette products; Visit the CATCH Global Foundation to learn about CATCH My Breath, a Free 5th-12th grade E-cigarette prevention program.
• Women who are pregnant should not use e-cigarette products.
• If you do use e-cigarette products, you should not buy street products (for example, e-cigarette products with THC or other cannabinoids).
• You should not modify e-cigarette products or add any substances to these products that are not intended by the manufacturer.
• Adult smokers who are attempting to quit tobacco products should use evidence-based treatments, including counseling and FDA-approved medications; see CDC: Ways to Quit Smoking. If you need help quitting tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, contact your doctor or other medical provider.

The American Academy of Pediatrics published an informative factsheet on juuling and the associated public health concerns.

JUULing: What Pediatricians and Families Need to Know.