“There’s no tobacco so it’s not bad for you.” “It’s helping me quit.” “It’s only water vapor.”

These are some of the few excuses heard when talking to an electronic-cigarette smoker; however, is this really the case? If so, is it so bad for high school students, under the legal age of 18, to be using e-cigarettes?

Before diving into the controversy of e-cigs, it is important to understand how they work. According to WebMD, a website that helps users diagnose health problems, a heater vaporizes liquid nicotine and the user will then inhale a hot, smoke-like vapor in their mouth through the mouthpiece. There is no tobacco at all and the entire process is completely synthetic, even the nicotine.

A national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that e-cig use in teenagers from 2011 to 2012 has more than doubled, rising from 4.7% to 10%. For sixth to eighth graders, the numbers rose from 1.4% to 2.7%, according to the New York Times.

E-cigs are illegal in Illinois for minors, anyone under 18 years of age, but what makes them so popular with high school students? Is it the countless possible flavors or is it the fact that they are smokeless? Ever Smoke, a large e-cig company in the United States, even issues a statement to teenagers.

“They are not made to appeal to children or underage people at all,” states Ever Smoke’s website. “You have to reach a certain age requirement to purchase electronic cigarettes just as you would if you were purchasing tobacco products. Nicotine is a substance not intended for use by minors, whether it’s from tobacco products or vapor cigarettes. Exciting flavors and attractive packaging appeal to everyone, regardless of age.”

A large appeal for many students is the fact the e-cigs are smokeless. They leave little to no trace of use and can be used indoors, unlike regular cigarettes.

“E-cigs are convenient because they don’t smell and you can use them at a restaurant or at work,” stated an anonymous senior source. “No more going outside in the cold.”

Flavors can range from chocolate to apple, and this is enticing to many kids. Who doesn’t love a candy bar? Many teens like flavored cartridges because they can mask the taste and smell of the nicotine while still getting a fix, not to mention it is designed to taste good.

“I only use flavored juices. I like them because they taste awesome,” stated a different 17-year-old senior source who didn’t share her name for fear of getting in trouble during the college admissions process.

Regular smoking features on the e-cig, like smoking cartridges without nicotine, are also loved by teenagers. Kids enjoy “vaping,” or just smoking water vapor.

“I use it just cause vaping is fun and I love doing smoke tricks,” added 17-year-old the source. “I don’t have any nicotine in my e-cig juice so the 0% is really cool to just chill out with because I don’t get any headaches or anything from it.”

E-cigs appeal to other teenagers for different reasons than getting a nicotine fix. Many kids will use e-cigs to smoke marijuana oil or THC, commonly called dabs. According to CBS Los Angeles, THC is responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects; it can create a high 10 times stronger when smoked in an e-cig than regularly grown weed.

“Yeah, I use it to dab. You basically just have to get a [modification] and a few other things for your e-cig,” said 17-year-old the source. “Dabs are a lot stronger than regular marijuana because they’re basically concentrated THC oil.”

Additionally, many students love e-cigs because it is still smoking but without a cigarette. The cigarette has a bad rap from most people, as it is just viewed as a way to cut years off your life and they smell terrible.

“I’ve occasionally smoked [cigarettes],” admitted the source. “They’re pretty raunchy though. I hate the smell and taste, but I like the little adrenaline rush it gives you. E-cigs just have less carcinogens and they don’t smell gross. E-cigs are also customizable so it’s cool to get really cool mods for them. You can’t do that with a regular cigarette!”

Since e-cigs don’t have the tobacco and the tar-like substance inside them, many people claim to be using them as a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes, which is true to an extent. According to Eli Lake, a columnist for The Daily Beast, e-cigs only help a user get over his need for tobacco.

“The consensus medical research today is that while electronic cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes, and a good way to end dependency on tobacco, they are not without health risks,” wrote Lake. “Besides the nicotine, the other active ingredient in my cigarettes is propylene glycol, a substance the FDA classifies as GRAS, or ‘generally recognized as safe.’”

Lake later went on to describe propylene glycol as “chinese-made antifreeze.” He continued by adding that it is only GRAS if ingested in food, not inhaled as a vapor. There is not yet any research regarding propylene glycol’s effect as an inhalant.

Still, the Food and Drug Administration is skeptical of e-cigs, which are, at the moment, not regulated. There have been reports to the FDA of pneumonia, congestive heart failure, disorientation, seizure, hypotension, and other health problems in e-cig users. It is not yet known if the e-cig caused these side effects, as the FDA is still researching possible problems with frequent e-cig use. The FDA also warns e-cig users of other possible nicotine addictions.

“Additionally, it is not known if e-cigarettes may lead young people to try other tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death,” stated the FDA’s website.

E-cigs are designed to be used anywhere since they are smokeless, but Chicago recently passed a citywide law giving e-cigs the same restrictions as regular cigarettes. This means they cannot be smoked in most public places or within 15 feet of a building entrance. State Senator Mattie Hunter is currently sponsoring a statewide law that will ban e-cigs in Illinois. They would no longer be sold or distributed should the law be passed.

“Electronic cigarettes have not been approved by the FDA and we don’t know what is in them or if they are safe,” said Senator Hunter in an illinoissenatedemocrats.com article regarding the bill. “Until these types of products are deemed certified or legal to sell by the FDA, they should be banned throughout Illinois.”

The e-cig movement may end before it even starts. As they gain popularity, more research is being released which, depending on the results, could help or hurt their cause. Statewide legislation could spell out a quick end to the rise in popularity of e-cigs.