E-Cigarette Opponent Claims that E-Cigarettes are Causing Permanent Brain Damage among Youth Experimenters

According to an article on the Voice of America web site, e-cigarette use among youth can lead to permanent brain damage.According to the article:"Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, compared teens' experimenting with any nicotine product, including electronic cigarettes, to "playing Russian roulette with the brain." Winickoff works with the American Academy of Pediatrics to protect children from tobacco and secondhand smoke. "Essentially, this drug creates a biologic need that can be permanent,” he told VOA. He said the effects include decreased working memory, tension problems as adults, and increased rates of depression and anxiety."In the article, Jennifer Duke from RTI International made it clear that there is actually no evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking. However, Dr. Winickoff apparently believes otherwise:"Duke said there was "no definitive proof that the use of e-cigarettes will lead to the use of tobacco products," a statement shared in the Tobacco Control report. But Winickoff said his studies and experiences have led him to a different conclusion. "It also sets up the adolescent brain for more durable and stronger addiction pathways," he said, "not just for nicotine, but for other substances such as cocaine, marijuana and other drugs." Winickoff said the teen brain becomes dependent on nicotine much more rapidly than the adult brain. "The most susceptible youth will lo...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs