A recent study from the University of Hong Kong School of Public Health has tied adolescent e-cigarette use to respiratory problems. According to lead study author Dr. Daniel Ho, adolescents who used e-cigs were 30% more likely to report breathing problems than those who had never used e-cigs. The statistics get worse from there: among adolescents who had never smoked, e-cigarette users, were twice as likely to report respiratory issues.
This research emerges as another example of the risks associated with e-cigarettes, which are often marketed as a “healthy alternative” to traditional cigarette smoking. Continued long-term research will likely be necessary to better understand the risks of vaping.