The Health Risks of Electronic Cigarettes Use in Adolescents.

Introduction:
This article discusses the health risks associated with electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in adolescents. The text summarizes several studies that suggest e-cigarettes may help smokers quit traditional cigarettes but also highlight the potential risks of nicotine addiction and exposure to other harmful chemicals. The article also discusses the epidemiology of vaping among adolescents and the regulatory landscape in Europe and the US.

Key Points:

* The use of e-cigarettes has risen significantly among adolescents, with many young people using them who have never smoked traditional cigarettes.
* E-cigarettes typically contain propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin-based liquid, nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals and metals.
* Studies have found that e-cigarettes contain an average of 6.2 flavoring chemicals and that sweet-flavored products have a significantly greater number of flavoring chemicals.
* More than 20% of commercial products were found to contain flavoring chemicals with a potential risk of inhalation toxicity.
* Additional toxicants, such as acrolein and diacetyl, have been identified in several vaping products.
* E-cigarette use may negatively influence cardiovascular health, and flavorants in e-cigarettes present potential hazards, such as risk of obstructive lung diseases.
* Nicotine, often used in vaping, confers a series of risks, including anomalies in the development of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex among adolescents.
* E-cigarette vapor has been linked to cancer in mice.

Main Message:
The text highlights the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette use in adolescents, including nicotine addiction, exposure to harmful chemicals, and increased rates of chronic bronchitis symptoms and asthma. The article emphasizes the need for up-to-date data on the prevalence of e-cigarette use and studies on their health implications to inform policy at a national and international level. Pediatricians are encouraged to help increase awareness about the potential danger of vaping on health and implement information on vaping devices worldwide in public health information and prevention programs. The text concludes that vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking tobacco, and the trend of young nonsmokers being attracted to vaping raises concerns of another generation suffering from chronic lung disease and other acute and chronic health conditions.

Ferrara P, Franceschini G, Corsello G, et al. The Health Risks of Electronic Cigarettes Use in Adolescents. The Journal of pediatrics. 2020;219:286-287.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.01.009