Introduction The use of nicotine and other tobacco products dates back almost to the start of human history. Smoking and nicotine use became a popular worldwide trend several hundred years ago. Today, smoking and the use of tobacco products are quite widespread. In the United States, cigarette smoking is on the wane. The same is true of the percentage of Ameri- can teenagers who smoke. The percentage of adults who smoke has also decreased. The fi fty-plus-year campaign to reduce the percentage of smok- ers in the United States and many other nations is one of the world’s greatest public health accomplishments. At the same time, the number of teens who vape is increasingly on the rise in the United States and across the globe. Smoking and vaping are extremely dangerous activities with potentially serious health consequences. Those who smoke or vape are likely to fi nd themselves risking health problems that include cancer as well as heart disease and the possibility of sudden death. It is imperative for parents and teens today to understand these risks and how best to avoid them. Educational efforts by government offi cials and those who are respon- sible for educating teens and parents alike have been an integral part of antismoking campaigns in prior decades. The modern Internet has enabled both bad information and sources of good, accurate, factual evi- dence. The Internet has also allowed contemporary myths about tobacco smoking and vaping to spread rapidly. Tobacco companies and those that
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