Touted as a “healthy way” to smoke, the FDA announced Wednesday that lab tests on e-cigarettes have found carcinogens and other toxic chemicals dangerous to humans.

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated and contain cartridges filled with nicotine and other chemicals, spiced with flavors such as chocolate, cola or bubble gum. They work by turning nicotine, which is highly addictive, and other chemicals into a vapor that is inhaled by the user. Companies have long advertised this form of “smoking” as safe, but the FDA is saying this is actually not the case.

Because e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval, the agency had no way of knowing the levels of nicotine or the amounts or kinds of other chemicals that the various brands of these products deliver to the user. That is why the FDA began to test them.

The FDA's Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis analyzed the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands of e-cigarettes. Samples identified various chemicals harmful to humans including diethylene glycol -- a chemical used in antifreeze that is toxic to humans.

Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Tobacco Consortium, said parents need to be aware of e-cigarettes. "It is very important that parents let their children know these are not safe and to make recommendations, or even enforce rules that they not be used," he said.

What can you do?

• Poll the students at your school on their awareness of the effects of smoking both real cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
• Want to help kids in your school quit smoking? Take away their packs of cigarettes and give them something better! Organize a Trade In Your Tobacco Products Day.
• Get inspired by Chad Bullock, the grand prize winner of the 2008 Do Something Award winner, and his Smoky Butts campaign.