Teens’ E-Cigarette Use Linked With Later Smoking, Study Finds

CHICAGO (AP) — Teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely than others to later smoke conventional cigarettes and other tobacco products, a study at 10 Los Angeles high schools suggests. The study doesn’t prove that electronic cigarettes are a “gateway drug” but some doctors say it bolsters arguments that the devices should be strictly regulated as proposed by the Food and Drug Administration. Whether teens had tried just one e-cigarette or were habitual users isn’t known, nor is whether they became heavy smokers or just had a few puffs. That information would be needed to help determine whether nicotine from e-cigarettes predisposed users to seek out other sources. Despite those limitations, the study “is the strongest evidence to date that e-cigarettes might pose a health hazard by encouraging adolescents to start smoking conventional tobacco products,” said Dr. Nancy Rigotti, director of a tobacco research and treatment center at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her commentary and the study were both published in Tuesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association. E-cigarettes haven’t been extensively studied and there’s no scientific consensus on any potential benefits or harms, including whether they lead kids to become regular smokers. STUDY OF 2,500 14-YEAR-OLDS The new, government-funded study involved about 2,500 14-year-olds who had never used conventional tobacco products including cigarettes. Students were f...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Local News E-Cigarette Source Type: news