What are the known health risks of e-cigas?

Compared with regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes have been on the market a short time—about 11 years. Scientists are studying e-cigarettes to understand how using them affects people’s health. Here’s what doctors and researchers know right now:

E-cigarettes usually contain nicotine. Nicotine is what makes tobacco products addictive. Be aware that some e-cigarettes that claim to be nicotine-free have been found to contain nicotine.

E-cigarettes are harmful for youth, young adults, and pregnant women. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is harmful for developing babies, and can lead to addiction and harm brain development in children and young adults into their early 20s. Although there is still much to learn about e-cigarettes, the evidence is clear that the harmful health effects of using e-cigarettes means teens and young adults should not use them.

E-cigarettes may contain other harmful substances. While e-cigarettes typically have fewer chemicals than regular cigarettes, they may still contain heavy metals like lead, flavorings linked to lung disease, small particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, and cancer-causing chemicals. Being near someone using an e-cigarette can expose you to the aerosol and the chemicals in it. This is similar to secondhand smoke from regular cigarettes.