Electronic cigarettes are becoming more popular amongst smokers who are trying to quit, but teens are becoming drawn to them rather than traditional cigarettes.
New studies show the positives and the drawbacks to using e-cigs, but to say they are safer to smoke is no exactly true, CNN reports:
"In 2009, a FDA test on a small number of e-cigarette samples found "detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals to which users could potentially be exposed." They found diethylene glycol in one cartridge at a 1% level; this is an ingredient used in antifreeze and can be toxic to humans in large quantities. Diethylene glycol is also found in some dental products and in some pharmaceuticals."
According to CNN, smoking is the leading cause of "avoidable death" in the United States, yet many still decide to smoke.
E-cigarettes entered the U.S. market in 2009, but researchers say it is too early to tell the long term effects will be for using the smoking device.
"So much is unknown about them and what the long-term complications could be with their use," American Lung Association's Erika Sward told CNN. "Bottom line, we don't know what the consequences of using them are, and we are very troubled that kids would find them attractive."
The term commonly associated with e-cigarettes is that they are a "healthier" alternative to conventional cigarettes, but what's missed it that statistics show kids who use e-cigs are more likely to try real ones.
"About 3% of these kids said they had used one in the last 30 days," CNN reports, citing a CDC study. "By contrast, 39% of students said they drank some amount of alcohol in the past 30 days, 22% binge drank and 24% rode with a driver who had been drinking."
The pricing of the e-cigarettes adds more appeal to teens. A starter kit costs between $40 and $130, including an e-cig, the charger and cartridges. The cartridges last about the same as a 20-pack of cigarettes, and cost about $10 a piece.
Though the cheap prices are a perk for adult smokers, the pricing and flavors are making it more attractive to kids.
The question is, if your child came who with e-cigarettes, would you buy the "at least it's better than a cigarette" excuse?
To read the full CNN article about the safety of e-cigs, click here.
