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What Are They and What Do They Look Like? E-cigarettes and vapor pens have various designs, but they all include a battery, a heating element called an atomizer, and a liquid nicotine cartridge. Street Names: E-cig, E-juice, E-liquid, Vapes, Juice, Smoke Juice, Mods, PV (Personal Vaporizer), Ego Short and Long Term Effects: Nicotine is addictive. Studies have shown short term effects to the lungs similar to the effects of regular cigarettes. Little is known of the long term effects. Every Parent Should Know: These devices allow the user to inhale the nicotine or other drug producing a low-odor, smokeless vapor. Manufacturers add flavoring and use packaging that is attractive to youth. The liquid nicotine can be absorbed through the skin and poses a danger to young children who become exposed. Some of these devices can be used to vaporize hash oil or dry marijuana leaves. |
What you may not know is this "smoke" is often coming from e-cigarettes and/or vaporizers. You may think that these two devices are the same, but there are some differences.
E-cigarettes are electronic devices that look like a regular cigarette. They include a heating element, battery and a disposable liquid nicotine cartridge (available in variety of flavors) that produces a smokeless and low-odor vapor.
Vaporizers, or vape pens, are battery or USB charged devices that are often the size of a fountain pen and use a different "filter" to generate the vapor from liquid nicotine that can can be refilled within the device. Vape pens produce large, puffy clouds of vapor, whereas e-cigarettes give off smaller amount of vapor, looking more like an actual cigarette exhale.
There is not a lot of data regarding the health effects of either yet, but both of these devices allow the chemicals to be heated and sent straight to the lungs, which is then quickly absorbed into the blood stream and could still cause harm. No form of smoking is a healthy behavior, so it is important to educate your children about the dangers of inhaling any substance.
