Teens’ high e-cig risks

TEENAGERS who use e-cigarettes may be at higher risk of smoking tobacco later, even if the e-cigarettes they use don’t contain nicotine.

An Australian study reviewed evidence from 25 previous studies and found youths who had used an e-cigarette, both nicotine and non-nicotine types, were three times as likely to use tobacco cigarettes.

Researchers are concerned by the findings because people aged under 20 who use e-cigs are believed to have different psychological profiles to smokers and would otherwise be considered at low risk of smoking. Availability of e-cig products to youths should be regulated, they said.