Jan. 25, 2019&mdash;There's been a big jump in the number of kids who vape using e-cigarettes or similar devices in the past year. That's according to an ongoing survey of teens. 
Every year, the <a href="http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/" target="_blank">Monitoring the Future</a> survey looks at about 50,000 students from across the nation in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades. It found that about 1.3 million more teens vaped in 2018, compared to 2017. And more than a third of high school seniors reported having vaped in the past year. 
What's going on? 
E-cigarettes are the most popular way for teens to smoke. They're aggressively advertised. And they come in a variety of flavors and devices that add to their appeal. Even though it's illegal to sell them to people under 18 years old, more than half of eighth- and 10th-graders said they are "fairly easy" or "very easy" to obtain. 
And there are misconceptions about their safety. Many people consider them safer than tobacco. But most vaping liquids contain nicotine, the same highly addictive substance that is in cigarettes, along with other potentially toxic chemicals. And teens who vape often transition to cigarettes down the road.
What's more, while a quarter of 12th-graders reported vaping "just flavoring" (without nicotine), researchers say it's unclear if these teens actually know what is in their devices. For instance, the most popular vaping devices don't have nicotine-free options. 
The survey findings weren't all bad news: Teen tobacco use is at its lowest point ever in the 44 years the study has been conducted. But the big jump in vaping is a major concern. And researchers said more work is needed to help kids understand the possible health effects of vaping, including the potential for addiction. 
To test your knowledge about vaping, <a href="[BASEDOMAIN]/healthinfo/Story.aspx?StoryID=b5477e3f-bc3e-429f-ac8f-013b18692d7d">take our e-cigarettes quiz</a>.

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