About nicotine products
- Nicotine is the addictive chemical found in e-cigarettes and other vapes, nicotine pouches, combustible cigarettes, cigars, hookahs and more. It’s what makes these products hard to quit.
- Many vapes and nicotine pouches contain higher nicotine levels than cigarettes, which can lead to addiction more quickly
- Regardless of the product, nicotine is the common factor that causes addiction and harms both mental and physical health
Nicotine and your mental health and emotional well-being
Your brain keeps developing until about age 25 and using nicotine during this time can cause lasting changes to mood, learning, and emotional control. It changes how your brain works and can make it harder to manage stress and emotions—especially for young people.
- As a young person, nicotine can harm the parts of your brain that control attention, learning, and mood
- Nicotine disrupts your brain’s natural reward system, which can lead to cravings and addiction
- Nicotine use during adolescence can affect your emotional regulation later in life
- Nicotine addiction can increase the risk of mood disorders like depression and anxiety
- Using nicotine regularly is linked to feeling more depressed and stressed over time
- Vaping nicotine can make you feel more anxious, not less
- People who vape are more likely to report more poor mental health days compared to people who have never vaped
- People who vape are more likely to have trouble sleeping, including restless nights and daytime tiredness
- Nicotine withdrawal can cause symptoms like irritability, anxiety, sadness, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and increased hunger
Quitting for your mental health
Quitting nicotine can have immediate and long-term benefits for your mood, stress levels, and emotional well-being. Young people who quit often report feeling better and having more good days.
- Quitting nicotine can help you feel less anxious and more emotionally balanced
- Staying nicotine-free lowers your risk for mood disorders like anxiety and depression
- Living without nicotine is linked to lower stress, fewer feelings of depression, and better overall mental health, with young people reporting more good days
- According to a survey conducted by Truth Initiative, 90% of young people who quit vaping said they felt less stressed, anxious, or depressed
Nicotine and your physical health
Nicotine can harm your body in many ways. Whether it’s in vapes, pouches, cigarettes or other products, it affects your heart, lungs, and overall health.
- Nicotine can cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, impact the flow of blood to the heart, and narrow arteries around the heart
- Nicotine is known to suppress immune function throughout your body
- Nicotine impacts oral health. Affecting blood flow to the gums, it can lead to inflammation of gums and gum disease
Learn more from the CDC: Health Effects of E-Cigarettes.
Check out this graphic about what happens to your body when you quit: Benefits of Quitting.