Don’t be fooled by the headlines: Teen vaping study is a mixed bag

(credit: Lindsay Fox at EcigaretteReviewed.com)

Nonsmoking teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely to turn to the real thing compared with their nonvaping counterparts, according to a new study that made for bold headlines Tuesday. The authors of the study also reported that vapers were more likely to become daily and heavy smokers, underscoring the potential danger.

At first glance, the findings appear to confirm fears that e-cigarettes act as a gateway to tobacco, potentially fixing life-long addictions in young people. Health organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have repeatedly raised red flags that the electronic smoking devices could undo the hard-won successes of decades-old anti-tobacco campaigns. Many experts have advocated for tight regulations.

But others argue that e-cigarettes should be kept easily accessible because they’re unquestionably less harmful than traditional cigarettes and could help smokers quit. Proponents also rightly point out that data backing the notion that e-cigarettes act as a gateway to tobacco has been thin at best. Cigarette use among teens has hit historic lows. And despite upticks in the number of kids experimenting with e-cigs, smoking has continued to decline.