Student Information

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FAQ’s regarding Tobacco/Nicotine Use

How many people use tobacco products in North Dakota?

  • 35.5% of ND High School students using tobacco in the last 30 days.
  • 33.1% of ND High School student report current use of electronic vapor products.
    • This is an increase from 19.1% in 2017

Data obtained from:

  • North Dakota Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. (2020). 2019 North Dakota Youth Tobacco Survey
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [2019] Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at: www.cdc.gov/yrbs. Accessed on 1 December, 2020.

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What are e-cigarettes/vaporizers?
  • E-cigarettes are known by many different names – “e-cigs,” “vapes,” “juuling”, “vaporizers,” “pipes,” “mods,” “tanks,” “vape pens,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems.”
  • Some even look like regular cigarettes or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks, and other items.
  • E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, which is the addictive drug in regular cigarettes and other tobacco products. These products also contain flavorings and other chemicals that help make the aerosol. Users inhale his aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.
What happens if I am caught using any tobacco/nicotine product on or in property?

Use of tobacco, nicotine or vaping devices is strictly prohibited at NDSCS. Not only are they bad for your health and for those around you, they set of NDSCS fire alarms. If you are caught using, you could face a variety of consequences from a $250.00 fine to suspension.

Vaping or Juuling is harmless – right?

No. Most, if not all, of these products contain nicotine. We know that nicotine use – especially in youth – can affect brain development. We also know that it isn’t a “water vapor” that is being inhaled into the lungs, it is aerosol plus heavy metals like lead, volatile organic compounds, and cancer-causing agents.

We don’t have long-term studies on the health effects of vaping, but we know that these products aren’t as harmless and people think.

What do youth think is in their e-cig?
E-Cig Pie

According to the CDC, 66% of youth e-cig users believe that it contains “just flavoring”. It is difficult to know what is in an e-cig…for example, some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Can e-cigarettes help adults quit smoking cigarettes?

The jury is still out. The FDA does not currently approve e-cigarettes as a quit smoking aid. A recent CDC study found that many adults are using e-cigs as a cessation aid, but most do not stop smoking traditional cigarettes and are instead continuing to use both products (known as “dual usage”).

What are the health effects of e-cigarette use?
  • May affect teens’ behavior, concentration, memory and their ability to learn
  • Increases risk of low impulse control
  • Chronic nicotine exposure may lead to insulin resistance & type 2 diabetes
  • Inhaled nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure
  • Nicotine is highly addictive
    o Nicotine acts as a gateway drug and primes the brain so things like cocaine and heroin are more rewarding
  • Exacerbate asthma & other lung conditions
  • Releases unsafe levels of lead, chromium, manganese, and/or nickel into the lungs & environment
  • Increased risk of lung, bladder cancer
  • Increased risk of heart disease
  • Persistent cough, bronchitis, congestion/phlegm
  • Mental Health: strong relationship between youth smoking and depression, anxiety and stress