There is no long-term data on the health effects of electronic cigarettes, but many vaping producrts contain high levels of nicotine — even higher than the levels found in traditional cigarettes — and that, research shows, can have serious health consequences. This is particualrly true for teens and young adults, whose brains are still developing. 

"The biggest problem with nicotine is the addictive aspects of it," explains Dr. Ronald Crystal, a lung and genetics expert at Weill Cornell Medicine.

"It makes you feel more calm. It's very diffiult to give it up," says Crystal. 

The high levels of nicotine found in many vaping products not only make them more addictive, but also more dangerous for teenage users. According to a study from Duke University, nicotine disrupts important connections happening in the brain during teenage years, leading to abnormalities. Researchers at Duke University found that pathways in the brain related to emotional behavior are especially impacted by nicotine, which may be why adolescent tobacco use is strongly linked with depression, poor decision making, and an increase in risk taking behaviors. 

In addition to risks associated with teen nicotine use, researchers we spoke with said that vaping as a teenage may also lead to lung lung disease later in life.