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E-cigs ‘no help to youths’

Younger smokers are more prone to the lure of e-cigarettes, a University of Hong Kong study suggests.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=176207&story_id=47118855&d_str=20161111&sid=4

HKU researchers interviewed 469 of the 622 participants who joined the Youth Quitline between January 2014 and last April on their knowledge, attitude and practice of using e-cigarettes. About 60 percent have used e-cigarettes, with their mean age at 17.8 years.

Lam Tai-hing, chair professor of community medicine at HKU’s school of public health, said it shows younger smokers are more prone to the threat of e-cigarettes.

It was found they also have lower confidence in quitting and the nicotine dependence level was also significantly higher than for the rest of the youth smokers, which Lam said shows e-cigarettes cannot help smokers quit.

“Basically, other than nicotine, we do not know exactly what other toxic substances may be present,” Lam said, adding that e-cigarettes come in thousands of flavors and whose compositions are unknown.

He called on the government to speed up its work to bring a total ban on e-cigarettes.

Jointly established by the university and the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, the scheme has helped 23.3 percent of participants kick the habit within the six-month follow-up period.

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