“…misinformation about vaping is rampant. Parents, Boulder County officials say, may think it’s not so bad because it can be used by adults as an alternative to help them quit smoking traditional cigarettes.
But the liquid juice isn’t regulated, with thousands of flavorings that can be added that may not be safe to be inhaled. Some brands that advertise having no nicotine have been found to contain it, while others had much higher amounts than the label indicated.
“We don’t have accurate information for what’s in there,” said Liz Blackwell, nurse at Fairview High School.
She added that e-cigarettes, which can be marketed to teens, are big tobacco companies’ answer to falling sales and a way to addict new generations. E-cigarettes have been around for about 10 years, but only started to gain popularity in the last five, she said.
“We don’t know the long-term consequences,” Blackwell said. “This generation is the guinea pig.”