Surgeon General Launches Campaign Against E-Cigarette Use by Youth

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is urging healthcare providers, parents, and other adults to talk with children and adolescents about the dangers of electronic cigarettes.

A report released from his office on Thursday notes that e-cigarettes are now used by more teens than conventional cigarettes. In fact, in 2015, some 16% of high schoolers reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. The rate of use among middle schoolers is lower but still reaches 5%.

Because the child and adolescent brain is still developing, the report says, it is uniquely susceptible to the adverse effects of e-cigarettes. In particular, exposure to e-cigarettes' nicotine can "disrupt the growth of brain circuits that control attention, learning, and susceptibility to addiction." It is also associated with mood disorders.

Other potentially harmful substances in e-cigarettes' aerosol include diacetyl (associated with lung disease), benzene, nickel, tin, and lead.