Study proves that vaping isn’t the gateway to smoking

While there has been an assortment of research studies published throughout the years speaking about how vaping comes with fewer risks than smoking tobacco products, there are still people who continue to assume those who use e-cigarettes might move on to the use of traditional cigarettes. That simply isn’t the case. In fact, countless people who once smoked combustible cigarettes have been able to quit smoking for good with the help of devices like Logic e-cigs. So, continue reading below as we debunk the myth that vaping is the gateway to smoking combustibles! 

The study 

The study reviewed data that was obtained through the United States National Youth Tobacco Survey. Covering a three-year period between 2014 and 2017, approximately 40,000 teens throughout the United States answered survey questions about traditional cigarette and e-cig use. 

The purpose was to provide researchers with tangible evidence regarding how many teens had tried tobacco, even if it were a single puff. Those who answered yes to this survey question were categorized as “ever smokers”. Teens who had smoked one or more cigarettes in the 30 days before completing the survey were also placed in a separate category, “social smokers”. The third and final category grouped teens who had smoked over 100 cigarettes since they first picked up the habit. This categorized group was referred to as “established smokers”. 

Aside from the above topics, participants were also asked to check off on their use of other tobacco products, such as hookahs, cigarillos, cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco, as well as non-tobacco products like e-cigarettes. There was also a section for the teens to identify their demographic, followed by any social or behavioral characteristics. 

What was the result?

After all of the National Youth Tobacco Survey data was collected from the thousands of participants, researchers found that most teens were trying combustible cigarettes and other tobacco products first, with tobacco cigarettes being the most popular choice. This pattern remained consistent in every year of the survey.

Researchers also discovered that boys were more likely than girls to try and continue the use of any of the above-mentioned products and that teens overall, became more experimental as they got older (if they started testing tobacco products at a younger age). Additionally, less than one percent of those who tried an e-cigarette first became established smokers. 

Smokers switch to vaping later on

Since most adult smokers started using combustible cigarettes during their adolescence, and vaping products are intended for mature ex-smokers who are committed to transitioning away from tobacco use, it’s safe to conclude from this study that combustible cigarettes remain the gateway for young adults to become tobacco smokers and that vaping may even serve as a gateway away from smoking. 

Although, teens who become habitual smokers may transition to vaping in their adult years when they find it challenging to quit without the use of stop-smoking aids, such as Logic e-cigs. Since e-cigs give ex-smokers the ability to eliminate tobacco intake, they can purchase a product that meets their current nicotine needs, lowering the concentration levels over time as they become less dependent and improving their health and lung function. 

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