As usual the debate had always been rampant regarding whether e-cigarette are safer than smoking regular tobacco. Yet, another issue is sparked as a percentage of young high school students say that vaping is cool and much preferred than smoking tobacco.
According to NY Daily News, e-cigarette usage by high school students was found out to be doubled from 10.5 percent in 2014 to 20.6 percent in 2016. It was then noted by health departments that tobacco smoking was reduced on the contrary for high school students. From 27.1 percent in 2000, it went down to 7.3 percent in 2014 and lowered down to 4.3 percent in 2016.
Julie Hart of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network then noted that their study on tobacco had been undercut by vaping. “What we are hearing from kids is that this is the next cool thing,” she said. Damonte Brown, a senior at City Polytechnic school in Brooklyn then stated that “Maybe about 20 percent of my friends vape, but that's a lot of people. Kids are trying something new and realizing they like it.” Vaping is becoming the next thing as another social thing like watching Netflix, it’s harmless she mentioned.
With that said, a study published on Drugs Education Prevention and Policy had revealed that e-cigarette usage is not increasing tobacco consumption. Instead, it may contribute to the negative perception of young people toward tobacco smoking as reported by Medical Express.
"What our research shows is that young people clearly perceive e-cigarettes for what they are - a less harmful alternative to tobacco. Equally, though, this view does not, as one might assume, directly translate into 'risk-free' in their minds” was mentioned by Dr. Neil McKeganey, Director of the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) and leader of the study.
The process of the study then assessed 50 vapers between the ages of 16 and 26. The participants then included 28 current smokers, 19 former smokers and 3 never smokers. The study then found out that most of the participants think of e-cigarette as less harmful than tobacco usage. The study was then considered to support studies that have failed to find any link between an e-cigarette and increased tobacco consumption.
