E-cig Flavors May Be More Than Alluring; They Also Add Toxic Chemicals

Flavors shape vaping behavior and add another layer of chemical risk

E-cigarette flavors mask a chemical odor and taste that could alert vapers to the risky chemicals they are inhaling. Aleksandr Pogudin/Shutterstock

Millions of Americans are vaping, and some are getting sick. Since June 2019, 2,711 have been hospitalized and 60 have died due to EVALI (e-cigarette-associated lung injury), the devastating lung disease linked to e-cigarettes.

Five million users are middle and high school students. Some are as young as 11, although it’s illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under 21.