No conclusive evidence of a gateway effect to smoking of the e-cigarette, in adolescents, at least with this study of American universities which concludes, however, the opposite. But the question is rested, as is the need for wider longitudinal studies. Some figures, in JAMA Pediatrics.
Researchers the University of Pittsburgh, Dartmouth University et University of Oregon followed a group of young participants, aged 16 to 26, from the possible experimentation with e-cigarettes to smoking. The team started with experimentation, use and consumption data provided by questionnaires at the start of the study, then a year later. Statistical analysis shows, out of 694 participants including 53,9% of women:
- that at the beginning : only 2,3% or 16 participants had already used e-cigarettes.
- At 1 year, 11 16 users e-cigarettes (69%), 18,9% 128 678 participants who had never used, have progressed to smoking.
- In conclusion therefore, but on a small sample of users at the start, the use of e-cigarettes appears to be associated with progression to smoking (OR (adjusted): 8,3), and to susceptibility in non-smokers (AOR: 8,5). Overall, this means that participants were 8 times more likely to attempt smoking the following year when they had already experimented with e-cigarettes.
- The researchers add that this factor is "independent". However, the study also reveals that the propensity for risky behavior is associated with a risk multiplied by 2 of trying the
tobacco (AOR: 2,6) and having friends who smoke is associated with the same level of risk (AOR: 1,8).
According to the researchers, these results show that electronic cigarettes can increase the risk of smoking. They write : " Because e-cigarettes release nicotine more slowly than traditional cigarettes, they can be used as a starter to smoke cigarettes».
However, the limitations of this study are numerous, including the very small size of the sample of e-cigarette users at the start of the study (n = 16) and the possible weight of other factors, independently of the experimentation or not at the start.
Source : santelog.com/
Jama Pediatrics
