CDC: e-cigarette use triples among youth

About 4% of middle school students and 13% of high school students reported using electronic cigarettes in the past month when surveyed in 2014, about triple the rate for both groups in 2013, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both middle and high school students used e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco product, a first since the National Youth Tobacco Survey began tracking e-cigarettes in 2011. Hookah smoking roughly doubled for middle and high school students, while cigarette use declined among high school students and remained unchanged for middle school students. “We want parents to know that nicotine is dangerous for kids at any age, whether it’s an e-cigarette, hookah, cigarette or cigar,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D. “Adolescence is a critical time for brain development. Nicotine exposure at a young age may cause lasting harm to brain development, promote addiction and lead to sustained tobacco use.”