E-cigarettes
E-cigarettes are popular among teens and are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States.
The Health Promotion team is a community resource for vaping prevention. We have various educational materials available upon request, and we can offer vaping intervention programming in school and group settings. For more information, call (309) 888-5446.
What are e-cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a rapidly emerging and diversified product class. These devices typically deliver nicotine, flavorings, and other additives to users via an inhaled aerosol. These devices are referred to by a variety of names, including "e-cigs", "e-hookahs", "mods", "vape pens", "vapes", and "tank systems.
- E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales.
- The liquid usually has nicotine, which comes from tobacco; flavoring and other additives.
- E-cigarette products can also be used as a delivery system for marijuana and other drugs.
- E-cigarettes often look like regular cigarettes, although their appearance can vary widely.
Are e-cigarettes safe?
E-cigarettes pose many public health concerns:
- Most contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and adversely impacts brain development
- Not an FDA-approved quit aid
- May re-normalize smoking behaviors
- Youth use is rising rapidly
- There is no proof that the vapor is safe for the person vaping, or for those breathing in the secondhand vapor
- Little is known about their long-term effects
Are e-cigarettes regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?
- Yes. FDA now regulates the manufacturing, importing, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes.
- How do new FDA regulations affect you? Get rules, regulations, and guidance here.
Can e-cigarettes help someone quit smoking?
- The FDA has not approved any e-cigarette as a safe or effective method to help someone quit.
- E-cigarettes contain nicotine, and nicotine is what makes tobacco addictive. It's not clear if e-cigarettes help people quit smoking or get in the way of people quitting.
- Instead of quitting, many e-cigarette users are continuing to use e-cigarettes while still using traditional cigarettes.
Can e-cigarettes be used in public places?
- In Illinois, there is no statewide vaping ban. However, communities can choose to include e-cigarettes in their local smoke-free policies (i.e. having stronger smoke-free laws than the state.)
- Regulation of e-cigarettes varies across countries and states, from no regulation at all to banning them entirely.
- In August 2016, Bloomington City Council unanimously voted to ban e-cigarette use in city-owned buildings.
Can communities choose to ban e-cigarettes?
- Yes– Restricting e-cigarette use where smoking is prohibited is legal, easy to do, and preferred by most people.
- Action can be taken at the national, state and local levels to address e-cigarette use. Dozens of localities are choosing to incorporate e-cigarettes into new and existing smoke-free policies.
- Over 200 municipalities, including Bloomington and Chicago, have added e-cigarettes into their existing smoke-free laws.
What are the benefits of banning e-cigarettes?
- Protects residents from involuntary exposure to nicotine and other secondhand byproducts of vaping
- Reduces the likelihood that children will associate the use of e-cigs with healthy behavior
- Reduces the likelihood that smoking in public places will become "re-normalized"
- Promotes compliance with existing tobacco laws
- Enhances employee productivity
I want to ban e-cigarettes. Is help available?
Yes– businesses, private property owners, employers and landlords can restrict or prohibit the use of e-cigarettes. If you would like to create a no e-cig policy, or add e-cigs into your current smoke-free policy, the health department can provide guidance and resources free of charge.
Contact the Health Promotion division at (309) 888-5968.