Cigarette smoking among American teens is on the decline. But adolescents who may have never tried cigarettes are now vaping with e-cigarettes, new research suggests.
E-cigarettes’ popularity has soared in the past five years and ballooned into a $3.5 billion market. But while manufacturers claim that the products are healthier alternatives to traditional tobacco, public health officials have questioned their safety and pushed for regulations.
Much of the concern has centered on younger Americans who may be drawn to the high-tech smoking devices which often come with flavored nicotine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently found that an alarming 5.3% of middle school students and 16% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2015—sharp rises from the figures reported at the beginning of the decade.
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