E-cigarettes are seriously bad for teenagers, new study finds

‘Vaping’ among teenagers is growing at an alarming rate – but up till now, health experts have mainly worried that the habit might lead youngsters to start smoking tobacco.

But a new University of Southern California study found that e-cigarettes pose a health risk for young people – even if they don’t go on to start smoking.

In particular, e-cigarettes can leave youngsters with bronchitic symptoms and persistent coughs – similar to those suffered by smokers.

Dr Rob McConnell and his team analysed questionnaires completed by young e-cigarette smokers on their general health – and found that youngsters who smoked e-cigarettes had double the likelihood of suffering symptoms such as persistent coughs.

Youngsters who had previously smoked e-cigarettes, but given up, were 85% more likely to have symptoms.

McConnell said, ‘E-cigarettes are known to deliver chemicals toxic to the lungs, including oxidant metals, glycerol vapor, diketone flavoring compounds and nicotine.

‘”However, there has been little study of the chronic health effects of e-cigarettes. The Children’s Health Study provided an opportunity to examine bronchitic symptoms common among smokers to see if the risk was also increased in users of e-cigarettes.’