A new report profiles a doubling of use of unregulated e-cigarettes among teenagers.
E-cigarettes are a battery-powered vaporizer which has the feel of tobacco smoking. They produce a mist rather than cigarette smoke.
A questionnaire given to sixth through 12 graders found an increase in use says Maria Skubal from the Oneida County Health Department...
"....survey from the National Youth Tobacco Survey shows the percentage of students who use e-cigarettes doubled from 2011 to 2012...."
Skubal says the tobacco companies are using similar marketing techniques to regular cigarettes to bring youth to vapors....
".....they have fruit flavors, candy flavors, cotton candy, chocolate mint...they advertise their product to appeal to youth. Kids often want to try them for the first time and they think they're not dangerous and safe and really, they're just as dangerous as regular cigarettes...."
The heating element vaporizes a liquid solution known as e-liquid. E-liquids usually contain a mixture of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings. Others have similar ingredients but without nicotine, the addictive ingredient in standard cigarettes.
The Centers For Disease Control says the number of youth who use e-cigarettes but haven't smoked a cigarette tripled form 79,000 in 2011 to 263,000 in 2013.
Promoters of the e-cigarettes say the devices only produce vapors and are a safe alternative to cigarettes, which health officials deny.
