amajikesMore and more teens seem to be preferring e-cigarettes over regular tobacco products, according to a new study by the University of Michigan.
The university’s 2014 Monitoring the Future study, which tracks substance use trends among 8th, 10th and 12th graders annually, found that more teens are using the e-cigarettes over tobacco cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that features a heating element to produce a vapor the user will inhale. These devices have been gaining popularity in recent years among teens and adults.
One of the biggest reason people are leaning more toward using the e-cigarette is because it’s highly customizable.
According to an article on ADA.org, typically, the vapor contains nicotine, although specific contents are proprietary, unregulated and variously flavored as bubble gum, milk chocolate ice cream or others that may be attractive to younger teens.
“There is no such thing as a healthy tobacco product,” the Association says at MouthHealthy.org. “Many non-cigarette alternatives are often marketed as healthier alternatives to smoking, but tobacco is harmful to your oral health and overall health. Quitting is the only way to decrease your risk of tobacco-related health problems.”
Rachel Miech, a senior investigator on the study, added that part of the reason why e-cigarettes are so attractive to teens is because they are under the impression that there are no health risks.
“There is no such thing as a healthy tobacco product,” the Association says at MouthHealthy.org. “Many non-cigarette alternatives are often marketed as healthier alternatives to smoking, but tobacco is harmful to your oral health and overall health. Quitting is the only way to decrease your risk of tobacco-related health problems.”
The U.S. Food and Drug administration is considering proposing a rule to regulate these devices in the future.
To read more about the study: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2015-archive/march/survey-finds-teens-prefer-ecigarettes-over-tobacco?nav=news
Alison Majikes is a National Accounts Representative at Benco Dental with a degree in Journalism from Penn State.
