Increased e-cigarette usage poses serious health hazards, especially among young individuals. There are a number of reasons why electronic cigarettes shouldn’t be marketed to smokers as a healthier option.

Even while fewer people are starting to smoke or are continuing to smoke, many more are switching to alternative tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery devices. The rising popularity of electronic cigarettes among young people poses a significant risk to public health.

The battery-operated gadgets can mimic the look of regular cigarettes, pencils, or even sophisticated technological items. The aerosol is inhaled and exhaled by the user. Both smokers and bystanders are at risk from this form of nicotine consumption.

Lots of negatives. There aren’t many positive outcomes that can be expected.

Advocates of electronic cigarettes say the products can aid smokers in giving up the habit. Still, there is a severe lack of data to conclude whether or not they are successful. “Dual usage,” when individuals engage in both smoking and vaping, has been found to be more common among users.

If you want to stop smoking for good, the American Heart Association suggests using one of these tried-and-true ways.

Many people have the false impression that vaping is safer than smoking. Aerosol from electronic cigarettes does not contain the same carcinogens as traditional tobacco smoke, yet it is still dangerous.

Nicotine, which is found in most e-cigarettes, is highly addictive and can impair the brains of developing adolescents, children, and fetuses if vaped by pregnant women. More nicotine is delivered by some brands than by regular cigarettes.

Aside from nicotine, the vapor produced by electronic cigarettes contains other chemicals that may be dangerous to health, including as diacetyl (a chemical associated to a serious lung condition), carcinogenic chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals like nickel, tin, and lead. Inhalation of these hazardous pollutants is a concern for users, and it is also a risk for surrounding non-users.

The liquid in electronic cigarettes poses health risks even when not used in the device. Many people of all ages have been poisoned by inhaling or ingesting this liquid.

Thousands of people have been hospitalized with life-threatening lung injuries after using electronic cigarettes. The CDC advises against using e-cigarettes while the specific cause is still being investigated.

This may be the most dangerous aspect of e-cigarettes in terms of public health: Vaping’s meteoric rise could “re-normalize” smoking after years of steady decline. It would be disastrous if the global effort to reduce smoking were to fail. The annual mortality toll in the United States is at 480,000, and smoking is still the top preventable cause of death.