Teens who vape had similar nicotine exposure to smokers
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As teen tobacco use experiences historic declines, new evidence suggests vaping is giving kids the same level of nicotine exposure.
Why it matters: The findings could undercut arguments that vaping and e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes and can help smokers quit.
What they found: Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada studied 364 youths from Canada, England and the U.S. who were between 16 and 19 years old.
- Analyzing 203 urine samples, the authors found the teens who exclusively vaped had similar nicotine exposure to those who smoked cigarettes — and to those who both vaped and used cigarettes.
- While nicotine exposure was similar between the three countries, it appeared slightly higher among teens in Canada, which the authors suggested could be due in part to differences in smoking behaviors and regulatory differences.
Notably, the researchers found adolescents who were using salt-based e-liquids in their vaping devices had higher nicotine biomarker levels than those using "freebase" nicotine products.
- Salt-based e-liquids may be more appealing for users because they allow higher levels of nicotine to be inhaled more easily and with less throat irritation than the typical freebase nicotine found in vaping and smoking products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bottom line: The results of the study indicate there may be essential differences in nicotine exposure based on product design.
- That difference may increase nicotine exposure among teens and prolong nicotine use, the authors wrote.
