Cigarettes used to be marketed as a trendy and cool, but they’re increasingly being replaced by e-cigarettes. The CDC found that over 263,000 teens who had never smoked a cigarette before tried e-cigarettes in 2013, which is three times the amount of teens trying e-cigarettes in 2011. Since there’s no tar in e-cigarettes, some consumers believe that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes, but this isn’t entirely true.

Most e-cigarettes do contain nicotine, which can cause inflammation in the lungs. Particles in the vapor and flavoring in the e-cigarettes can also irritate the lungs, which is a recipe for trouble for those with asthma. These factors can exacerbate asthma symptoms and potentially bring on an asthma attack.