Some Tobacco Products Becoming Increasingly Popular Among Teens
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Most parents know that cigarettes are bad for your health and they talk to their kids about it, but there are other concerns.
According to the Centers For Disease Control, other tobacco products are becoming more popular with teens.
Overall tobacco has not increased for middle school and high school students but use of e-cigarettes, did to the tune of a doubling from 2011. Current use was defined as smoking the product at least once in the past month.
The report also reveals that more high schoolers are currently smoking hookah, increasing from 4.1% in 2011 to 5.4% in 2012.
It does not stop there; cigar use was noted to have gone up from 11.7% to 16.7% among non-Hispanic black high school students. Cigar use in high school males was almost double that of high school females: 16.7% vs. 8.4%.
The CDC says that low prices, marketing, and availability of these products are likely contributing to their greater use. Cigars, e-cigarettes and hookah are not currently regulated by the FDA.
