Teen vaping: There is no vapour without fire

Abstract

E-cigarettes have become the most important source of nicotine exposure among adolescents. While e-cigarettes may have the potential to help some adults quit smoking, there is a lack of reliable evidence that this would apply to adolescents. On the contrary, e-cigarette use is associated with subsequent use of cigarettes and other tobacco products in teens and is also associated with increased use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. Research on the health effects of e-cigarettes is rapidly emerging suggesting that they carry several acute and long-term risks, particularly for adolescents’ still-developing bodies and brains. While several strategies to help youth quit smoking exist, much less is known about effective clinical interventions for adolescents presenting with an addiction to nicotine consumed through e-cigarettes. We discuss the latest research on e-cigarettes with a focus on health effects in youth and propose potential avenues for concerted action among paediatric providers and decision makers.