Adolescent Use of Electronic Cigarettes: An Emergent Health Concern for Pediatric Nurses

• Electronic cigarettes contain nicotine and other potentially harmful ingredients.
• Electronic cigarette usage does not result in decreased usage of conventional cigarettes among adolescents.
• Electronic cigarettes are not currently regulated by the FDA and are not subject to tobacco laws.

Recent statistics show an increasing trend of electronic cigarette usage among adolescents. Despite common misconceptions, electronic cigarette use does not reduce cigarette use among adolescents and can potentially increase cigarette dependence via nicotine addiction and modeling of smoking behaviors. Pediatric nurses and health care providers should be aware of the popularity and safety concerns of electronic cigarettes so that they can properly provide education regarding the possible negative health effects of adolescent electronic cigarette use, raise awareness of this public health concern, and impact policies in their communities.