E-Cigarettes: A Rising Trend Among Youth

Electronic cigarettes, known as "e-cigarettes," were designed as a smoking cessation tool for adults. An unintended audience for the product has been found with adolescents, many of whom have never used conventional cigarettes. Broad consequences of e-cigarettes on adolescent health include nicotine addiction-and later nicotine withdrawal-and potential for nicotine overdose. U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations are non-existent; empirical evidence regarding e-cigarettes is limited; and studies conducted with adolescent e-cigarette use are even less common. Prevention measures must target the manufacturers and retailers of these devices as well as adolescents, parents, schools, and health care professionals. Psychiatricmental health nurses are well positioned to raise awareness of the dangerous consequences of e-cigarette use in teens.