Many Young People Believe E-Cigarettes are Safer Than Traditional Tobacco Cigarettes

A new survey carried out by researchers at Mississippi State University has found that a large majority of young adults believe electronic cigarettes to be safer than conventional ones. The researchers surveyed over 3,200 people and found that around 8 percent of those who completed the survey were between 18 to 24 and 22 percent of those were parents. More than 80 percent believed that e-cigarettes were better for them compared to regular cigarettes, with 13 percent admitting to have tried e-cigarettes at least once.

A large majority of the participants favored the menthol or fruit flavored e-cigarettes with less than seven percent using them to quit smoking.

“This study has two alarming findings. First, the risks of e-cigarette use and exposure to vapor are unknown, yet many parents report using these electronic cigarettes to reduce harm to others. Second, half of current users are nonsmokers, suggesting that unlike tobacco harm-reduction products, e-cigarettes contribute to primary nicotine addiction and to renormalization of smoking behaviors”, lead researcher Robert McMillen said.


Source-Medindia