Vaping and E-cigarettes are sometimes promoted as ways to help cigarette smokers quit the habit, but can the reverse also be true - does vaping lead to regular cigarette smoking later on?
According to Johns Hopkins cardiologist, Michael J. Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., avoiding cigarettes and their electronic alternatives is always the healthiest choice. "Kids have such a poor understanding of vaping products. Often, they don't know there's nicotine in them, what the dose is, or what the impact of flavorings might be. Because using these products seems more socially acceptable than smoking, kids may think e-cigarettes are perfectly safe."
In reality, e-cigarettes and vape "juices" contain nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco. As of 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified e-cigarettes and nicotine-laced vape juice as tobacco products. Nicotine in any form is highly addictive. Vaping using nicotine-laced products can become a persistent and expensive habit - and kids might not stop there.
In this short YouTube video produced by Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Blaha shared insights on the potential dangers of vaping, "The #1 concern about vaping is the so-called gateway effect. Our literature suggests that 2 million young adults use e-cigarettes as their first nicotine-based product. It's not that they're trying to quit smoking - they've never smoked before." Blaha cited further evidence suggesting young people who vape are more likely to go on to use illicit drugs and tobacco products, such as cigarettes. "We might be causing the next smoking epidemic through young people getting addicted to electronic cigarettes early in life."
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