Researchers Say More Youngsters Turning To E-cigs

Research by the University of Hong Kong on Thursday suggested that boredom brought about the coronavirus pandemic helped pushed a record number of young smokers into trying out electronic cigarettes.

The university's Faculty of Medicine says the pandemic, behind curiosity and peer pressure, is among the factors behind smokers under the age of 25 experimenting with new tobacco products.

The researchers said this was an increasing trend, with nearly 86 percent of the 283 young smokers they spoke to indicating they had used the devices.

Dr William Li from the university's School of Nursing, who lead the research, said the pandemic had kept youngsters at home, or at least reduced social activities among them, so they tended to smoke at home alone.

Li said they preferred using e-cigarettes, as it was easier to hide the habit from parents and teachers.

A former e-cigarette user called Leo said he was tempted to use the devices because of the flavours on offer.

"They smell good and they taste good,” the 21-year-old said. “There's cola flavour, and some fruit flavour like watermelon and orange. I'm a fan of orange."

Leo, who has now stopped smoking with the help of the university’s quit smoking hotline, said a friend told him that heated-tobacco products pose a smaller health risk than traditional cigarettes.

Another former smoker, Alex, said he also thought e-cigarettes were less risky.

"I thought e-cigarettes were a substitute for traditional cigarettes,' he said, adding he had been hoping to quit the habit by switching over to the devices.

Li said this misconception is common, and there is an urgent need to do more to educate people otherwise.

"We will urge the government to impose a stronger regulation,” he said. “Last year, we have already advocated the need for a total ban on electronic cigarette."

But the executive director of the Council on Smoking and Health, Vienna Lai, said some lawmakers had created obstacles making the passing of the bill difficult.

"They claim they are less harmful, so we have to allow them to go into the market, we have to provide a choice for the smokers," Lai said. "I don't think this is a choice, because smoking is hazardous to health."