According to Lung.org, “E-cigarettes contain aerosol containing harmful chemicals, including nicotine; ultrafine particles, flavoring called diacetyl, a chemical that can cause serious lung disease, volatile organic compounds like benzene, which is found in car exhaust, and heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead. These all can affect your part of the brain that makes decisions and controls your impulses. Youth and young adults are the most at risk for long-term, long-lasting effects because they are exposing their still-developing brains to nicotine and other substances. Some risks are nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning.”

Anonymous 1

1. At what age did you vape for the first time? “The first time I vaped was when I was 13.”
2. How long have you been vaping? “It’s now been two years since I’ve started.”
3. Why or what caused you to start vaping? “Honestly I don’t think anything besides me making a choice caused me to first hit a vape, it wasn’t like I was peer pressured or wanted to rebel, I just kind of did it without thinking about it.”
4. What type of vape do you own? “Njoy”
5. Did you know the health risks? “No I didn’t, vaping was a somewhat new thing so I don’t think anyone really knew.”
6. Have you experienced any health problems from vaping? “Since starting the only thing I’ve experienced is some shortness of breath, but I’m also not vaping every day or every few minutes like others.”
7. How do you buy them? “Usually I give however much money it costs to a  friend who has friends who can buy them.”
8. Do your parents know? “No.”
9. Do you consider yourself addicted? “I don’t think I’m addicted just because I only vape maybe two days a week, it’s not a daily thing, and I’m not doing it for the buzz or high of it, it’s just a calming thing for me.”
10.  If you could go back would you have stopped yourself from hitting the vape? “Yes, I don’t think I need it in my life, mostly because of the unknown effect and the secrecy of hiding it from friends and family.”

Anonymous 2

1. At what age did you vape for the first time? “I think I was about 11 or 12.”
2. How long have you been vaping? “Probably about around four years.”
3. Why or what caused you to start vaping? “I started after my closest friends had started doing it, I didn’t want to be the only one not doing it.”
4. What type of vape do you own? “I have a vuse and I get puff bars occasionally which are disposable.”
5. Did you know the health risks? “No, and I still don’t really, besides that it’s bad for your lungs.”
6. Have you experienced any health problems from vaping? “I’ve had a few panic attacks and sometimes when I vape I will get angry at small things.”
7. How do you buy them? “My cousin gets them for me.”
8. Do your parents know? “They know but they hate that I do it.”
9. Do you consider yourself addicted? “Yes, I constantly feel like I need it, I probably use it every five minutes.”
10.  If you could go back would you have stopped yourself from hitting the vape? “Yes, because now I get angry when I am hitting it and when I’m not. My body feels like it needs it, and when I can’t get it I freak out.”