One-in-four young teens has tried electronic cigarettes

A survey of teenagers in Scotland has found nearly a quarter of 13 and 14-year-olds have tried electronic cigarettes and close to half of 15 to 18-year-olds have used the nicotine delivery devices.

But nearly two-thirds of the young people think e-cigarettes are not “cool”.

The findings come from a new poll of people aged 13-18 by health charity ASH Scotland - the first survey into the attitudes of teenagers in Scotland to e-cigarettes.

Overall, 81% said they had heard of e-cigarettes, which contain nicotine and come in a range of flavours.

Among those who used the devices, 78% had previously tried a normal cigarette.

Only 12% of the teenagers thought e-cigarettes are “cool”, while 63% disagreed and 25% were not sure.

A total of 57% agreed that young people could be influenced to try e-cigarettes by advertising. And 11% of regular smokers and 45% of non-regular smokers said they wanted to try e-cigs due to ads.

The survey shows awareness of e-cigarettes comes mainly from promotional activity, including display stands and media presence, and seeing them used by other people, including friends, family and strangers in public places.

Most saw them being used in a shopping centre (51%) or a park (50%) but 40% revealed they witnessed them used at school.

Around 60% of the young people who were not regular smokers but had tried e-cigarettes said they wanted to see what they were like. Around a third of both smokers and non-regular smokers used them after seeing a friend with one.

ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said: SEE VIDEO CLIP

“Our survey shows teenagers are using e-cigarettes in significant numbers and it is particularly worrying that children as young as 13 and 14 are trying them.

“The findings underline our call for legislation to outlaw the sale of these devices to anyone under 18 and for tighter controls on their marketing.

“There is no doubt that e-cigarettes, which come in flavours such as milkshake and bubblegum, are attractive to young people.

“But many contain nicotine – a highly-addictive substance – and currently there is a lack of regulation of their contents and promotion.

“We also need more research into whether the use of e-cigarettes, and in particular the way they are marketed and promoted, could provide a gateway to tobacco and could ‘renormalise’ cigarette smoking, something we must fight against as Scotland moves towards its goal of having a generation free from tobacco by 2034.”