Teenage ‘vapers’ at risk of turning to cigarettes to feed nicotine habit

Vaping could act as a “gateway” to cigarettes for children by getting them hooked on nicotine, a study warns.

As many as half of young users of e-cigarettes have never tried a normal cigarette, researchers at Coventry University found.

But less than half of the users were aware that vape products contained nicotine or were addictive.

The study raises questions about the lower tax levy placed on e-cigarettes, and about the use of sweet flavourings that appeal to younger users.

According to Cancer Research UK, 40 per cent of regular smokers begin smoking before the age of 16, making teenage smoking a key battleground for public health authorities.

Dr Emmie Fulton, lead researcher on the study, said: “The young people we sampled may use e-cigarettes because they are easier to access than tobacco, and would have gone on to smoke regardless.

“However, they may also represent a group of young people who have no intention of trying cigarettes but could be becoming addicted to nicotine accidentally.

“There’s the potential that this could act as a gateway to smoking and tobacco use for a proportion of the population who would otherwise have remained non-nicotine users.”

Vaping has been hailed as way for smokers to stop smoking tobacco, which has significantly higher health risks.

In February, Public Health England recommended that e-cigarettes be prescribed on the NHS.