E-cigarettes Shaped Like USB Flash Drives: Information for Parents, Educators and Health Care Providers
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that can deliver nicotine and flavorings to the user in the form of an aerosol. E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes.
![Image of e-cigarette devices and people.](./index_html_files/two-head-image.jpg)
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
![devices Image of a e-cigarette and a usb device.](./index_html_files/devices.gif)
![cloud-exclamation-mark Image of a cloud and an exclamation point.](./index_html_files/cloud-exclamation-mark.gif)
![person-smoking Image of someone smoking an e-cigarette](./index_html_files/person-smoking.gif)
![person-books Image of a person holding books](./index_html_files/person-books.gif)
AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR E-CIGARETTE DEVICE, CALLED JUUL,
IS SHAPED LIKE A USB FLASH DRIVE.
![e-cig Image of an e-cigarette](./index_html_files/e-cig.gif)
![flavors Image of the flavors that can be used with e-cigarettes: strawberries, cucumbers, mint, peaches](./index_html_files/flavors.gif)
JUUL’s nicotine liquid refills are called “pods.” JUUL is available in several flavors such as Cool Cucumber, Fruit Medley, Mango, and Mint.
All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.
![classroom Image of people in a classroom](./index_html_files/classroom.gif)
JUUL became available for sale in the United States in 2015. As of December 2017, JUUL is the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States.
News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including in classrooms and bathrooms.
Other devices are becoming available that look like USB flash drives. Examples include the MarkTen Elite, a nicotine delivery device, and the PAX Era, a marijuana delivery device that looks like JUUL.
![Images of three brands of e-cigarettes: JUUL, MarkTen Elite, and PAX Era](./index_html_files/brands.jpg)
E-CIGARETTE USE IS NOT SAFE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful ingredients. However, e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than smoke from burned tobacco products, like regular cigarettes.
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25.
![Image of a circle with chemical codes, a cloud and an exclamation mark.](./index_html_files/circle-cloud.gif)
Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to go on to use regular cigarettes.
![Image of a person smoking an e-cigarette and again smoking a regular cigarette.](./index_html_files/man-smoking.gif)
PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN HELP PREVENT AND REDUCE THE USE OF E-CIGARETTES BY YOUNG PEOPLE.
![Image of parents](./index_html_files/parents.gif)
PARENTS CAN:
- Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of e-cigarette use for young people.
- Talk to their children about the risks of e-cigarette use among young people. Express firm expectations that their children remain tobacco-free.
- Set a positive example by being tobacco-free.
![Image of a teacher](./index_html_files/teacher.gif)
EDUCATORS CAN:
- Learn about the different shapes and types of e-cigarettes and the risks of all forms of e-cigarette use for young people.
- Develop, implement, and enforce tobacco-free school policies.
- Reject youth tobacco prevention programs sponsored by the tobacco industry. These programs have been found to be ineffective for preventing youth tobacco use.
![Image of a doctor](./index_html_files/doctor.jpg)
PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN:
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Ask about e-cigarettes, including devices shaped like USB flash drives, when screening patients for the use of any tobacco products.
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Warn patients about the risks of all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes, for young people.
![Image of hands holding up a sign that says Parents, Educators and Health Care providors can help](./index_html_files/hands.jpg)