Nicotine vaping: what parents need to know

A vape is a small device that heats a liquid, turning it into tiny particles called aerosol. There are different types of vapes. Some look like highlighters, while others resemble USB keys. Despite their varying appearances, they all contain:

• A reservoir holding the vaping liquid
• A battery
• A heating element

Contrary to popular belief, water is rarely found in vaping liquid—and if it is, it is only present in small amounts. Instead, the liquid contains chemicals and often nicotine. This means that when vaping, users are not inhaling water vapour but chemicals that are absorbed by the lungs and carried into the bloodstream.

Like cigarettes, it is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy vaping products. However, adolescence is a key time for experimenting with vaping, which is why it’s important to discuss it with your teen. As soon as they start high school, teens may see their friends vaping. Vapes have become a trendy accessory and a new way to consume nicotine, attracting even teens who would never have smoked cigarettes. Most teens get vaping products from people they know. Many report that most, if not all, of their friends vape. Curiosity and peer pressure are common reasons why young people start vaping. Opening the conversation with your teen can help them understand the realities of vaping and resist the urge to try it.

Vaping poses risks to both physical and mental health. On one hand, the risks are related to nicotine. Nicotine use carries risks, regardless of the amount consumed. In the short term, it can alter brain development, and harm memory and concentration. Nicotine can also negatively affect:

• Sleep
• Mood
• Energy levels
• Appetite

Teenage brains are still developing and are more sensitive to the effects of nicotine than adult brains. Nicotine can create a powerful addiction, which can be very difficult to overcome. Addiction develops gradually and often goes unnoticed. It can occur even if a teen does not vape daily. The table below explains how nicotine affects teens.

How does nicotine affect teens?   

For more information about smoking, see  our fact sheet on the topic . On the other hand, the risks are related to vaping itself. Even if the liquid does not contain nicotine, vaping is still harmful. The chemicals in vaping devices affect the respiratory system, causing:

• Coughing
• Mucus in the airways
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing

The medium- and long-term effects of vaping remain unknown. However, this does not mean that vaping is safe. It took decades to prove that smoking causes cancer. Given these uncertainties, it is best to avoid vaping, whether the products are legal or not. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux has issued  a warning about vaping products, both with and without nicotine.  

Since October 31, 2023, the sale of flavoured vaping products (other than tobacco flavour) has been illegal in Québec. Unflavoured products remain available. This law aims to reduce the appeal of vaping for minors. Despite this ban, between December 2023 and May 2024, 62% of Québec teens who vaped used flavoured products. Some retailers in Québec sell “flavour enhancers” to get around the law. Additionally, flavoured vaping products from Ontario, where they are legal, enter the province freely.

The nicotine content varies based on the concentration in the liquid and the number of cartridges used. By law, the nicotine concentration in vaping liquid is limited to 20 mg/ml, which is equivalent to about 10 cigarettes (half a pack). However, multiple cartridges can be consumed in a single day.

It is difficult to determine what substance is being vaped just by looking at the device. Many young people use the same vape for both nicotine and cannabis. Additionally, cannabis vapes do not emit the same strong smell as smoked cannabis (joints) or tobacco, making it harder to detect what is being consumed. The best way to know what is in a vape is to ask the person using it. For more information about cannabis vaping, see our  fact sheet on the topic .