[Electronic cigarettes: use, health risks, and effectiveness as a cessation method]

Abstract

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adults in the Netherlands is increasing but is still relatively low. Increasing numbers of young people abroad are experimenting with e-cigarettes but no trend data for the Netherlands are available to date. Young people who experiment with e-cigarettes are principally those young people who already smoke conventional cigarettes or have done so in the past; the same applies to adults. There are no indications that experimenting with e-cigarettes can lead to tobacco addiction. Although the vapour from e-cigarettes contains substances that are harmful to health, the health risks from the use of e-cigarettes are far smaller than those from smoking conventional cigarettes. Too few research data are available to be able to conclude that e-cigarettes are an effective aid to smoking cessation.