In the biggest survey of its kind, British researchers reported Wednesday that e-cigarettes are popular with young adolescents, but few who try them become regular users.
Of those who do use them regularly, most are also tobacco smokers, they added.
Just 1.5 percent of schoolchildren aged 11-16 said they used e-cigarettes regularly, a term defined as at least once a month, according to their study, published in the journal BMJ Open.
The probe touches on one of the most contested areas of e-cigarettes, whose rise has spurred a verbal battle between defenders and promoters.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat up a liquid containing nicotine and artificial flavouring. The vapour is inhaled -- "vaped" -- much like a cigarette.
In the last few years, health watchdogs have been embroiled in debate as to whether the gadgets are safe or addictive.
The study did not focus on the safety issue, but pointed to evidence that, so far, addiction did not seem to be a problem.
Nor, according to the replies recorded in the survey, do e-cigarettes seem to be a gateway to smoking.
"E-cigarettes are unlikely to make a major direct contribution to adolescent nicotine addiction at present," the paper said.
The findings are based on two "nationally representative" surveys in Wales, in which two batches of children -- 1,601 aged 10 to 11 and 9,055 aged 11 to 16 -- were questioned about their use of e-cigarettes.
Use of e-cigarettes at least once was more common than having smoked an ordinary cigarette in every age group except the oldest category, the 15- to 16-year-olds.
Among the 10- to 11-year-olds, 5.8 percent said they had tried e-cigs, several times more than those (1.6 percent) who had tried tobacco.
Among the 11- to 16-year-olds, 12.3 percent said they had tried the device.
But among regular users, there was a strong association with smoking cigarettes -- which implies teens are not using the device as an aid to give up tobacco -- as well as cannabis.
The study admitted to some limitations, such as the accuracy of self-reported use of e-cigarettes, and differences in questionnaire wording for the two batches of children.
Less harmful?
Independent commentators said the picture tallied with other research that suggests only a tiny portion of non-smoking youngsters go on to regularly use e-cigarettes after trying one.
"It shows what we might predict," David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, told Britain's Science Media Centre.
"My personal view is that e-cigarettes are unlikely to be remotely as harmful as cigarettes. Even if everyone used e-cigarettes, the burden of harm would be less than that of current cigarette smoking."
Linda Bauld, a professor of health policy at the University of Stirling, Scotland, said that laws governing nicotine-dosed e-cigarettes were important.
"However it may be time to move on from the moral panic that e-cigarette experimentation in young people elicits among some," said Bauld.
Speaking at an anti-tobacco conference in Abu Dhabi last month, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Margaret Chan voiced support for governments that ban or regulate e-cigarettes.
"Non-smoking is the norm, and e-cigarettes will derail that normality thinking, because it will attract especially young people to take up smoking," said Chan. "So I do not support that."
AFP
Wed Apr 15 2015
![E-cigs popular with teens, but few are regular users E-cigs popular with teens, but few are regular users](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-03/41393988564_295x200.jpg)
Use of e-cigarettes at least once was more common than having smoked an ordinary cigarette in every age group except the oldest category, the 15- to 16-year-olds. - File Photo
![Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41715247870_SohThianLaijpg.jpg)
Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM
Pemimpin perniagaan dan usahawan daripada golongan belia merupakan pemacu penting yang akan membentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia, kata Presiden Persekutuan Pekilang-Pekilang Malaysia.
AWANI Tonight: 16 July 2024
#AWANITonight with @Hafiz_Marzukhi
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
![Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41716613114_TBsprm.jpg)
Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman
Kesemua individu juga perlu hadir ke pejabat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) sebulan sekali untuk melaporkan diri.
![KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719822088_ZambryAbdKadir.jpg)
KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat
KPT mengalu-alukan cadangan PAC berhubung pelaksanaan dan pemakaian Garis Panduan Pelaburan dan Pembiayaan oleh Universiti Awam 2024, kepada anak-anak syarikat di bawah seliaan kementerian itu.
![SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720679430_AbdulKarimRahman.jpg)
SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan
Sepak takraw wanita berpasukan berkemungkinan akan digugurkan daripada senarai acara temasya Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) 2024 berikutan jumlah penyertaan kurang daripada jumlah minimum yang ditetapkan.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok
Enam orang ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok, Thailand pada Selasa laporan media tempatan yang memetik polis Bangkok.
AWANI 7:45 [16/07/2024] - Suspek dibawa ke lokasi | Selamat tinggal rakyat Malaysia | Harimau Malaya hilang taring?
- Polis sahkan suspek bunuh Kartini anggota polis.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
![Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721139141_TBJDUSHA.jpg)
Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman
Usha Vance, isteri kepada Senator J.D. Vance yang dipilih sebagai calon gandingan bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Donald Trump awal minggu ini, telah meletakkan jawatannya di sebuah firma guaman,
![Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-05/71683779541_TBNAJIBRAZAK.jpg)
Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum
Berdasarkan sistem e-filing mahkamah, rayuan itu telah ditetapkan untuk pengurusan kes pada 7 Oktober ini.