Pediatrics Group Discourages Use of E-Cigarettes in Teens

A new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concludes the earlier teens start using any product with nicotine, including e-cigarettes, the stronger their addiction will be and the harder it will be for them to quit, HealthDay reports.

“An estimated 4 percent of kids who try to quit nicotine will succeed, compared to 5 percent of adults who try to quit. Children and adolescents also make more attempts to quit before succeeding,” the AAP notes in a news release.

The report notes that e-cigarettes have been aggressively promoted as smoking cessation aids, but research studies have not been able to document their effectiveness in adults. “Recent research suggests that the use of e-cigarettes may encourage, rather than discourage, the use of conventional cigarettes among U.S. adolescents,” the report states.

“Given the difficulty that adolescents have attempting to stop smoking and use of tobacco products, the need for prevention efforts to stop them from starting is extremely important,” report author Dr. Lorena Siqueira said.