A new study out of Indiana University and Purdue University Indianapolis has tied e-cigarette use to problematic drinking among users. Published in Addictive Behaviors, the study followed 1400 individuals and documented their smoking and drinking habits. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, were developed to mimic real cigarette smoking without the same additives and levels of tobacco — often promoted as a “healthy alternative” to traditional smoking. Current research is mostly focused on the health effects, and it seems the jury may still be out on just how healthy they really are.
This study, however, highlights the link between e-cigarette use and alcohol consumption. Previous studies have already linked cigarette smoking and drinking; for this reason, researchers hypothesized that a similar link would be found between e-cigs and alcohol. Research revealed that individuals using e-cigarettes were much more likely to drink “problematically” than those who were not using the devices.
Click here to read the full article for Medical News Today.