Does using e-cigarettes increase cigarette smoking in adolescents?

A meta-analysis of 9 prospective cohort studies
(total 17,389 patients) at least 6 months
in duration evaluated the association between
e-cigarette exposure and subsequent
cigarette smoking in adolescents and young
adults.1 It found that smoking was more
prevalent in ever-users of e-cigarettes than
nonusers at 1 year (23.3% vs 7.2%; odds ratio
[OR] = 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI],
2.38-5.16). The association was even stronger
among recent users (within 30 days) of
e-cigarettes compared with nonusers (21.5%
vs 4.6%; OR = 4.28; 95% CI, 2.52-7.27). The
mean age of approximately 80% of participants
was 20 years or younger.

Asher T, Belden JL, Kelsberg G, Safranek S. Does using e-cigarettes increase cigarette smoking in adolescents? The Journal of family practice. 2019;68(10):E12-E13.