Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

E-cigarette use among youth and teens has skyrocketed in recent months, jumping 78 percent for high school students and 48 percent among middle schoolers. One in five high school students, and one in 20 middle school students, now use these tobacco products. Teens tell us that they use e-cigs right under their parents’ and teachers’ noses because adults don’t know what they are and they’re so easily concealed. Kids also think they’re safe. But e-cigs are chock full of nicotine, and they also contain carcinogens, heavy metals and flavorings that are damaging to health and lungs. Nicotine, the most addictive drug on the planet (experts say it’s more addictive than heroin), damages the developing brain of youth and young adults, reducing impulse control and impairing learning. It’s the flavors and the cool factor that entice youth to try e-cigs and the nicotine that keeps them coming back. There are thousands of flavors designed to attract youth – bubble gum, cotton candy … even unicorn vomit. The FDA banned flavored cigarettes and cigars in 2009 because they appealed to kids, and the agency is reviewing the impact of e-cig flavors. The sleek design – these products often look like jump drives – can be personalized with skins and other products, adding to the cool factor that is attracting kids.