According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (commonly known as the CDC in America), seven in 10 teens had seen ads promoting e-cigarettes. The CDC was concerned this meant many teens would be encouraged to vape, even if they had never smoked before.
However, a new study now appears to have blown that little theory out of the water. Put together in the Netherlands, the study reveals that while more young people are noticing e-cig adverts, there appears to be no relation to the rise in use of e-cigarettes.
Switching rather than taking it up
According to the authors of the study, there was no link between the children seeing the ads and wanting to take up vaping. Neither did it seem to encourage them to take up smoking.
The rise in vaping seems to be purely associated with smokers who want to quit the habit. They are looking for a way to help them do that, and vaping fits the bill.
Another study from the University of Cambridge agrees
This particular study asked 471 children to look at a selection of adverts for electronic cigarettes. The children were aged between 11 and 16, and there was no indication that any of them felt more tempted to smoke or use e-cigarettes as a result of seeing the adverts.
There still appears to be concern, in the US at least, that children and teenagers will be attracted to smoking through seeing electronic cigarette adverts. However, all the evidence seems to point to the contrary. Furthermore, the National Institute of Drug Abuse in America has confirmed that more than half of teenagers who do vape do not use an e-liquid that contains nicotine.
As time goes on, more studies will be conducted that look into this area. However, for the time being there seems to be no evidence at all pointing to children being enticed into vaping by viewing ads promoting the devices. While no one can be certain why this is, it’s good news for those in the industry, and for parents who might be concerned.
It would appear that vaping is the sole refuge of those who no longer want to smoke, but who need some support in weaning themselves off cigarettes for good. What’s your opinion on e-cig adverts and how people – especially young people – react to them?
