Two native teens stand side-by-side outside.

Native Strong.

Vape-Free.

We are Next Legends. We represent Native (American Indian and Alaska Native) teens who are proud of our heritage and protective of where we come from. We have seen the harms of smoking cigarettes firsthand and refuse to let vaping hold us back from a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Scroll down to get the facts and find out what makes vapes so harmful.

Don't be fooled. The fact is:
Vaping isn’t harmless

Inside are potentially dangerous metals and chemicals that do not belong in your lungs. Get the facts and scroll down to learn more about the harms of vaping.

Swipe Click the arrows for details.

Metal Particles

Vaping can deliver toxic metals like lead, chromium, and nickel into your lungs.

Battery with toxic chemicals leaking out.

Cadmium

Negative energy only. Vaping may expose you to cadmium, the metal used to power batteries.

Two paint cans with warning labels overflow paint.

Lead

Get this. A toxic metal once used in paint, lead has been found in vape aerosols.

Acrylonitrile

Fruit-flavored vapes may contain high levels of the chemical “acrylonitrile,” which is found in vapes with or without nicotine. This dangerous ingredient is a known cancer-causing chemical and respiratory irritant.

Formaldehyde

You may recognize this one from science class. Formaldehyde is a chemical that causes cancer and is used to embalm dead bodies. People who vape may be exposed to formaldehyde.

Illustrated lungs with a cigarette and vape emitting vape aerosol inside the lungs.

Cancer-Causing Chemicals

“Harmless vapor”? No way. Vape aerosol (sometimes called “vapor” or “vape smoke”) might look different than cigarette smoke, but chemicals like acrolein and acetaldehyde (which can cause irreversible lung damage) have been found in cigarette smoke AND vape aerosol.

Nicotine

This chemical is the reason vaping is addictive. It can change the way your brain works, causing you to crave more nicotine. Scroll down to learn more about the harms of vaping nicotine.

Deceptive, Dangerous, & Full of Regrets

The harmful chemicals lurking inside vapes don’t just harm you. They threaten our communities and environment too.

Swipe Click the arrows to find out how.

A brain with warning signs that say “Craving!”

VAPING Nicotine Is Addictive

Getting addicted to nicotine is a lot easier than people think. This chemical changes the way your brain works, causing you to crave more nicotine and making it hard to think about anything else. Addiction keeps you vaping even when you want to quit.

Two sisters are smiling and sitting next to each other.

Vaping Can Affect Your Family

If you lose control to nicotine, your family can get trapped too. In fact, teens with family members who vape are more likely to try vaping.

Vapes Can Harm the Environment

Our land is feeling the impact of vaping too, since trashed vapes can pile up in landfills and can leak dangerous chemicals into the environment.

Other Tobacco Products

The fact is, commercial tobacco products— cigarettes, dip, chew, and vapes—may contain the addictive drug nicotine and other harmful chemicals. These highly addictive products contain chemicals that can cause short- and long-term health problems. See how tobacco products can weaken your ability to achieve your goals and persevere in life.

Swipe Click the arrows to learn more.

Two teens stand side-by-side with a lung graphic over each of their chests. The lungs on the left with the label “smoker” are smaller and a darker color than the lungs on the right labeled “non-smoker” which look normal.

Cigarettes & Your Lungs

Teens who smoke cigarettes are at risk for health problems like stunted lungs. Their lungs may NEVER grow to be full size or be able to perform at maximum capacity.

An image of tobacco products on a textured background. The items include a cigarette, a cigarillo, and a cigar, all showing signs of use or damage.

Cigarettes, Cigars, & Cigarillos

While the size of the products, and the way they are made, may be different, the bottom line is they’re all tobacco products and can cause serious health consequences, including death.

A can of dip and a can of chew lay side-by-side.

Smokeless Tobacco

It’s not just cigarette smoke and vape aerosol that are harmful. Smokeless tobacco products like dip and chew contain a toxic mix of 4,000 chemicals, and 30+ of them are linked to cancer.

two Native youths get caught up in vaping but find a way to overcome it

Check out the video to see the true stories on how they made their way out.

person walking down a snowy path in a dimly lit forest

There's no 'i' in team

Vaping can expose you to toxic chemicals that can damage your lungs. and the team.

A vaper's poor endurance throws his canoeing team out of rhythm

Canoe

Lacrosse

A vaper gets gassed and costs her basketball team the win.

Rez Ball

Don’t Be Fooled, Vapes Can Damage our Mind, Body, and Spirit

Check out these videos to see why vaping is a harmful decision.

Don’t Be Fooled By Vaping
Become a Next Legend.
Native Strong.
Vape-Free.

Now is the time to break the cycle of lung damage, death, and disease in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Part of being resilient is respecting your well-being, relationships, and surroundings.

Join us in creating a future free from tobacco.

Get Help Quitting

Illustration of a coyote with patterns and a warning about being misled, possibly about smoking.

A person in Native American attire stands on a mountain with an anti-tobacco message.

A female basketball player with a message encouraging viewers to stay away from nicotine.

Vaping Can Deliver Metal Particles Into Your Lungs. Nickel, Lead, Chromium, Tin, and Aluminum Have All Been Found in Vape Aerosols.

Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e57987.
Olmedo P, Goessler W, Tanda S, et al. Metal concentrations in e-cigarette liquid and aerosol samples: the contribution of metallic coils. Environmental Health Perspectives (Online). 2018; 126(2).
#TF0442: Vaping can deliver metal particles, like nickel, lead, chromium, tin, and aluminum, into your lungs.

Chromium Is the Same Metal Used to Make Steel, and if You Vape, It Can End Up in Your Lungs.

Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e57987.
Olmedo P, Goessler W, Tanda S, et al. Metal concentrations in e-cigarette liquid and aerosol samples: the contribution of metallic coils. Environmental Health Perspectives (Online). 2018; 126(2).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
#TF0442: Vaping can deliver metal particles, like nickel, lead, chromium, tin, and aluminum, into your lungs.
#TF0103: Chromium is a chemical [or, a toxic metal] found in cigarette smoke. It is also used to make steel.

Vaping Can Deliver Cadmium, the Metal Used to Power Batteries, Into Your Lungs.

Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e57987.
Olmedo P, Goessler W, Tanda S, et al. Metal concentrations in e-cigarette liquid and aerosol samples: the contribution of metallic coils. Environmental Health Perspectives (Online). 2018; 126(2).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
#TF0442: Vaping can deliver metal particles, like nickel, lead, chromium, tin, and aluminum, into your lungs.
#TF0046:Cadmium is a chemical [or, a toxic metal] found in batteries and cigarette smoke.

Lead, the Toxic Metal Once Used in Paint that’s now banned Because It’s So Toxic, Has Been Found in some Vape Aerosols.

Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e57987.
Olmedo P, Goessler W, Tanda S, et al. Metal concentrations in e-cigarette liquid and aerosol samples: the contribution of metallic coils. Environmental Health Perspectives (Online). 2018; 126(2).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
#TF0442: Vaping can deliver metal particles, like nickel, lead, chromium, tin, and aluminum, into your lungs.
#TF0049: Lead, a chemical [or, a toxic metal] once used in paint, is found in tobacco smoke.

Pyrene Is a Chemical Used to Make Pesticides. People Who Vape May Be Exposed to Pyrene.

Goniewicz ML, Smith DM, Edwards KC, et al. Comparison of nicotine and toxicant exposure in users of electronic cigarettes and combustible cigarettes. JAMA Network Open. 2018;1(8):e185937. Accessed December 19, 2018.
#TF0471: People who vape may be exposed to Pyrene.

Formaldehyde Is a Pungent Chemical That Causes Cancer and Is Used to Embalm Dead Bodies.

Goniewicz ML, Knysak J, Gawron M, et al. Levels of selected carcinogens and toxicants in vapour from electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23(2):133-139.
Cheng T. Chemical evaluation of electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23:ii11–ii17.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
#TF0047: Formaldehyde is a chemical [or, a carcinogen] found in cigarette smoke. It is also used to embalm dead bodies.
#TF0245: Known and suspected carcinogens such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde have been identified in some e-cigarette aerosols. Formaldehyde can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, and throat.

Vapes Are Not a Safe Alternative to Cigarettes. Chemicals, Like Acrolein and Acetaldehyde, Have Been Found in Vape Aerosol and Are Also Found in Cigarette Smoke.

Goniewicz ML, Knysak J, Gawron M, et al. Levels of selected carcinogens and toxicants in vapour from electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23(2):133-139.
Cheng T. Chemical evaluation of electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23:ii11–ii17.
Bein K, Leikauf GD. Acrolein–a pulmonary hazard. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 2011;55(9):1342-1360.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Medical surveillance – Formaldehyde. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10078. Accessed May 8, 2018.
#TF0268: Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke, like nicotine, formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde are also found in some e-cigarette aerosols. Inhaling formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde can cause irreversible lung damage.

Nicotine Is the Reason Vaping Is Addictive.

Goniewicz ML, Knysak J, Gawron M, et al. Levels of selected carcinogens and toxicants in vapour from electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23(2):133-139.
Cheng T. Chemical evaluation of electronic cigarettes. Tobacco Control. 2014; 23:ii11–ii17.
Bein K, Leikauf GD. Acrolein–a pulmonary hazard. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 2011;55(9):1342-1360.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Medical surveillance – Formaldehyde. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10078. Accessed May 8, 2018.
Hiler M, Breland A, Spindle T, et al. Electronic cigarette user plasma nicotine concentration, puff topography, heart rate, and subjective effects: Influence of liquid nicotine concentration and user experience. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology. 2017; 25(5), 380.
#TF0268: Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke, like nicotine, formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde are also found in some e-cigarette aerosols. Inhaling formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde can cause irreversible lung damage.
#TF0237: Like other tobacco products, use of e-cigarettes that contain nicotine may lead to addiction

Nicotine Is Addictive Because It Can Change the Way Your Brain Works.

U.S Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: What It Means to You (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
#TF0014: Nicotine can change the way your brain works, causing you to crave more nicotine.

Teens With Family Members Who Vape Are More Likely to Try Vaping.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2016.
Alexander JP, Williams P, Lee YO. Youth Who Use E-cigarettes Regularly: A Qualitative Study of Behavior, Attitudes, and Familial Norms. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2019; 13, 93-97.
#TF0500: Teens are more likely to try e-cigarettes if a family member uses e-cigarettes.

Trashed Vapes Can Pile Up in Landfills and Can Leak Dangerous Chemicals Into the Environment.

Mock J, Hendlin YH. Notes from the Field: Environmental Contamination from E-cigarette, Cigarette, Cigar, and Cannabis Products at 12 High Schools — San Francisco Bay Area, 2018–2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:897–899.
Hendlin YH. Alert: public health implications of electronic cigarette waste. Am J Public Health. 2018;108:1489–90.
#TF0501: Discarded e-cigarettes can leak harmful chemicals into the environment.

All Commercial Tobacco Products, Like Cigarettes, Dip, and Chew, Can Lead to Nicotine Addiction.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease. The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease (Executive Summary). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). The Health Consequences of Smoking: Nicotine Addiction. A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 1988.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). The Health Consequences of Smoking - 50 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2014.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Harmful and potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke: established list. Federal Register. 2012; 77(64): 20034-20037.
#TF0031: There’s no such thing as safe tobacco. Smoke, dip, roll-your-own—every single one is harmful to your health…. All tobacco products can lead to nicotine addiction and contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that can cause serious health problems.

Teen Cigarette Smokers Are at Risk for Health Problems Like Stunted Lungs. Their Lungs May Not Ever Grow to Be Full Size or Be Able to Perform at Maximum Capacity.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: Preventing Tobacco Use among Youth and Young Adults. We Can Make the Next Generation Tobacco-Free (Consumer Booklet). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2012.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). A Report of the Surgeon General: Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2012.
#TF0026: Teens who smoke cigarettes can develop smaller, weaker lungs that never grow to their potential size and never perform at maximum capacity.
#TF0229: Smoking cigarettes can cause both immediate and long-term damage.

Cigars and Cigarillos Have Been Linked to Cancer in the Pancreas, Bladder, and Even the Stomach.

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Tobacco smoke and involuntary smoking. In: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Vol. 83. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2004.
Bertuccio P, La VC, Silverman DT, et al. Cigar and pipe smoking, smokeless tobacco use and pancreatic cancer: an analysis from the International Pancreatic Cancer Case- Control Consortium (PanC4). Annals of Oncology. 2011; 22 (6):1420–1426.
#TF0260: Cigar smoking causes cancers of the lung, oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, pancreas, stomach and bladder.

Smokeless Tobacco Products Like Dip and Chew Contain a Toxic Mix of 4,000 Chemicals, and 30+ of Them Are Linked to Cancer.

National Cancer Institute (NCI), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smokeless Tobacco and Public Health: A Global Perspective. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. NIH Publication No. 14-7983; 2014.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Harmful and potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke: established list. Federal Register. 2012; 77(64): 20034-20037.
#TF0037: Smokeless tobacco products contain a toxic mix of 4,000 chemicals, including as many as 30 [or more] chemicals that are linked to cancer.
#TF0298: Smokeless tobacco products [contain/have] cancer-causing chemicals such as: Arsenic, Benzo[a]pyrene, Cadmium, Crotonaldehyde, N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), Chromium, Nickel, Chrysene, Ethyl carbamate (urethane)

Native Strong. Vape-Free.

Don't be fooled. The fact is: Vaping isn’t harmless