13/11/2025
Young people who v**e are three times as likely to start smoking, develop asthma and have poor mental health as those who do not, according to a study that lays bare the health impacts of e-ci******es.
Va**ng among young people is consistently linked to later smoking, according to the largest umbrella review of all the evidence on youth va**ng, which warns that e-ci******es could act as a gateway.
The researchers found associations with other harmful consequences including asthma, cough, injuries and mental ill health, as well as possible risks of respiratory disease, headaches, poor oral health and substance use.
Su Golder, an associate professor in health science at the University of York and an author of the research, said: “The consistency in the evidence is striking. Across multiple studies, young people who use e-ci******es are more likely to smoke in the future. These findings support stronger public health measures to protect teens from the risks associated with va**ng.”
The researchers concluded that although it was not yet possible to definitively say va**ng leads children to smoke, precautionary policies to restrict sales and marketing of v**es to young people were needed.
Dr Ronny Cheung, of the Royal College of Paediatrics, said the study “adds to the mounting evidence that youth va**ng is a serious threat to health and wellbeing, with strong links to smoking and other harmful behaviours”.
Cheung urged the government not to further delay implementing the to***co and v**es bill, which will limit the flavours, packaging and marketing of v**es.
Article continued on slides 3 through 6.
Article and information courtesy of Rachel Hall via The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/aug/19/young-v**e-users-three-times-as-likely-to-start-smoking-study
