The electronic cigarette is often presented as the intermediate step in the definitive cessation of smoking, but it is much less often likened to a gateway to smoking for adolescents and non-smokers. And yet, it is a reality that scientists from the University of California in San Francisco are denouncing today. They discovered that people who use tobacco "by-products", such as electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco or hookahs, are much more likely than non-smokers to consume real cigarettes. To reach such conclusions, the researchers looked at the cases of 10,000 adolescents, whom they followed from the age of 12 until they were 17 years old. None of them had ever smoked a cigarette at the start of the experiment.
“For several years, our study has focused on the potential of electronic cigarettes to lead adolescents who had never smoked to use tobacco. Tobacco-derived products – e-cigarettes, cigars, hookahs and smokeless tobacco – have been found to increase the chances of real smoking in the future says Professor Benjamin W. Chaffee. This actually confirms what we all suspected... The Independent reveals that the popularity of these products considered to be less harmful than cigarettes has skyrocketed in recent years. They are said to have appealed to some 4 million students in the United States in 2016, and 90% of adult smokers admitted to having smoked their first cigarette before the age of 18. If quitting smoking is one of your resolutions for this year, we suggest you follow our advice to successfully complete your path to good health... Courage!
