The first peek at a major study of how Americans smoke suggests many use combinations of products, and often e-cigarettes are part of the mix.
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From Medical Express
Multiple studies are exploring whether e-cigarettes help smokers quit or continue smoking
the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:
Are e-cigarettes helping people quit smoking? Or are they enabling smokers to get nicotine where and when they would not be able to smoke cigarettes? These questions are prompting investigations into trends in smoking and tobacco use. The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a large government study, will ultimately follow 46,000 people ages 12 and older over 5 years and provide a source of information as FDA considers how to regulate tobacco-related products.
In preliminary findings from the first 20,000 people to enroll, 28% of adults and 9% of youths reported using any type of tobacco product. Approximately 40% of current tobacco users reported using two or more products; the most common combination was cigarettes and e-cigarettes. In addition, a separate government study found that some teens who never smoked real cigarettes are trying the electronic versions. Whether smoking e-cigarettes pose the same risks for addiction as real cigarettes is not known.
E-cigarettes heat liquid nicotine into an inhalable vapor. Although e-cigarettes contain fewer toxic substances than burning traditional cigarettes, health officials warn consumers that not enough is known about long-term effects of these products to claim they are harmless.
