A new study find teens who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to start smoking. Researchers from the University of Southern California examined whether adolescents who reported ever using e-cigarettes were more likely to begin smoking cigarettes, cigars or hookah during the subsequent year.
"What they found is that kids who smoke e-cigarettes are also more likely to get into regular cigarettes or other smokable things," said Dr. Ellen Rome, an adolescent medicine expert at Cleveland Clinic Children's. "This is not surprising."
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E-cigarettes are battery-powered and look like real cigarettes. Users inhale vapor which usually contains one-third to one-half the amount of nicotine found in a standard cigarette. They have become increasingly popular – especially in the adolescent age group – including teens who have never tried tobacco products before.
The study examined over 2,500 students from 10 public high schools in Los Angeles, Calif., who hadn't previously used tobacco. Results showed that students who used electronic cigarettes were more likely to report that they had begun smoking tobacco products, like regular cigarettes and cigars, during follow-ups at six and 12 months.
The study authors note that some teens may be more likely to use e-cigarettes because they believe they are not harmful or addictive. Rome recommends parents include e-cigarettes when talking to kids about the dangers of smoking.
"Show non-permissive attitudes about smoking anything, including e-cigarettes, so that kids pick up that it's not okay to start any nicotine product, including e-cigarettes," said Rome.
Get the message out to kids through: