E-Cigarettes & Work (Page 1 of 2)	
E-CIGARETTES & WORK	
E-cigarettes (also called vape pens) are devices that heat a liquid in
to 
an aerosol (air) that the user inhales (called vaping).  E-cigarette
 liquid 
contains: nicotine, flavoring, plus as many as 10 chemicals that can 
cause cancer and birth defects in future children of smokers.  Nicotine 
in e-cigarettes (like regular cigarettes) is addictive and called a poison.  
Nicotine poisoning was rare in the past, but becoming more common 
today because of the use of e-cigarettes, nicotine gum, and nicotine 
patches.  Symptoms of nicotine poisoning happen in two stages.  First 
stage: excess saliva in mouth, feeling sick, stomach ache, vomiting, 
dizziness, tremors (shaking), confusion, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, 
and high blood pressure.  Second stage:  low blood pressure, slow heart rate, diarrhea, weakness, and pale 
skin.  Nicotine poisoning can include:  seizures, passing out, and breathing failure.
Teen years are important years for brain growth.  The brain grows from birth to about age 25.  Nicotine 
exposure (smoking and breathing second-hand smoke) causes harm in the growing brain.  E-cigarettes are 
popular with young people.  Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes.  The 
use of e-cigarettes is higher among high school students than adults.
Young adults may use JUUL (or Suorin) e-cigarettes — electronic smoking devices charged with thumb 
drives that use replaceable "pods" filled with nicotine and flavored liquid, and easy to secretly use.  Some 
youth think that a JUUL does not contain nicotine when  one JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a 
pack of cigarettes.  Several states have made the use of JUUL type e-cigarettes illegal.   
Vapers draw smoke into their mouths and hold it there before inhaling into their lungs.  Inhaling into the 
lungs delivers smoke where the nicotine and chemicals are taken very quickly into bloodstream.   Then, the 
nicotine and chemicals use the bloodstream to go to all parts of the body (heart, brain, arms, stomach, sex 
organs, legs) until all body parts contains the nicotine and chemicals — even the eyeballs.  Smoke that v
apers exhale is not steam or water vapor.  E-cigarette smoke is just as dangerous to nearby people as 
regular cigarette smoke.	
National Youth Tobacco Survey	
With states 
passing laws  
against the use 
of  e-cigarettes,  
and awareness  of healh risks,  e-cigarette use  has dropped since 2019

E-Cigarettes & Work (page 2 of 2)	
What are the laws about using E-cigarettes at work?
E-cigarettes are a new problem for states, cities, and work 
sites.  a) 15 states passed new laws to forbid e-cigarettes in 
smoke-free places anywhere within that state (such as work 
sites, restaurants, government buildings, and more places).  
b) In states that do not have smoking laws, 1,485 cities 
passed new laws to forbid e-cigarettes in smoke-free places 
anywhere within that city (work site, restaurants, government 
buildings, and more places.)
Most employers require the same rules for e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes.  Employers have the right 
to make rules for the company such as:  1) Make the workplace smoke free.  2) Name a certain area as the 
"smoking area" so that other workers are not exposed to second-hand smoke.  3)  Warn workers that secret 
smoking of e-cigarettes or regular cigarettes will get you fired.  
Is it legal for employers to hire only non-smokers?
Yes.  Employers are free to hire whomever they want.  Federal and 
state laws prohibit discrimination against people for some reasons, 
such as race, sex, national origin, and others things — but laws do not 
offer discrimination protections for job seekers who smoke.  And, 
employers may fire workers if the worker's smoking habit gets in the 
way of his or her job duties, or the smoke bothers other workers.
QUICK CHECK:
1.  E-cigarettes are also called what?
2.  List 3 things that e-cigarette liquid contains.
3  Why is nicotine poisoning becoming common?
4.  Describe 3 symptoms of nicotine poisoning in 
the:  a) First stage.  b) Second stage.
5.  a) When does the brain grow?  b) What causes 
harm in the growing brain?
6.  a) Which e-cigarettes are young adults more 
likely to use?  b) What do these look like?  
  c) Where are they charged?  d) What is 
  replaceable?  e) How much nicotine does a 
  JUUL contain?
7.  a) After inhaled into the lungs, where do the 
nicotine and chemicals quickly go?  b) What do 
the nicotine and chemicals use to go into all parts 
of the body?  c) List 4 parts of the body that then 
contain the nicotine and chemicals.  d) How 
  dangerous is the smoke that vapers exhale?  8. 
a) What percent of high school students used 
e-cigarettes in:  a) 2012?  b) 2019?  c) 2020?
9.  For what 2 reasons has the use of e-cigarettes 
dropped since 2019?
10.  a) So far, what number of states passed new 
laws to forbid e-cigarettes in smoke-free places?
  b) In states without smoking laws, how many 
cities passed new laws about e-cigarettes?
11.  List 3 rules employers have the right to make.
12.  a) Is it legal for employers to hire only non-
smokers?  b) Do laws offer protections for job 
seekers who smoke?  c) When may employers 
fire workers who smoke? 
13.  Pretend that you are a manager of a retail store:
  a) Would you hire job applicants who smelled 
of smoke?  b) Give a reason for your answer. 
  c) Write down rules you would have for your 
workers who wanted to smoke.  d) What would 
you say to a customer who vaped in your store? 
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