People who think e-cigs are healthier are more likely to smoke them The belief that e-cigarettes pose less of a health risk than traditional cigarettes may lead to increased experimentation with them As it stands, it is not clear what the long term effects of smoking them are The researchers think the findings should inform the design of future public health messages People who think e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional tobacco products are more likely to smoke them, experts claim People who think e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes are more likely to smoke them, new research suggests. While the addictiveness and long-term effects of using e-cigarettes are unknown, many people believe they are safer than traditional tobacco products. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the belief that e-cigarettes pose less of a health risk may lead to increased experimentation with e-cigarettes among young adults. Researchers from the University of Minnesota looked at whether or not there was a relationship between perceived notions about the harmfulness of e-cigarettes and e-cigarette use. Investigators surveyed 1,379 adolescents who had never used e-cigarettes. The initial survey explored their opinions about e-cigarettes and their effect on health, or their usefulness as an aid to stop smoking. Then, a follow-up survey conducted one year later asked participants if they had experimented with e-cigarettes. Lead author Dr Kelvin Choi said: "Participants who agreed e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, and those who agreed that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes, were more likely than those who did not agree to subsequently report experimenting with e-cigarettes. These associations did not vary by gender or smoking status. Specifically, the follow-up study found 7.4 per cent of participants who had never used an e-cigarette reported subsequently using an e-cigarette. Dr Choi said: "The study showed that 2.9 per cent of baseline non-smokers in this U.S. regional sample of young adults reported ever using e-cigarettes at follow-up, suggesting an interest in e-cigarettes among non-smoking young adults. This is problematic because young adults are still developing their tobacco use behaviours, and e-cigarettes may introduce young adults to tobacco use, or promote dual use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. While the risks associated with long-term e-cigarette use are largely unknown, recent studies suggest that they can significantly increase plasma nicotine levels, which means they are potentially as addictive as cigarettes. Dr Choi said: "This study also suggested that about 12 per cent of former young adults smokers at baseline were re-introduced to nicotine through e-cigarettes. It is currently not know what the long term effects of smoking e-cigarettes are but many people believe they can help with giving up smoking and that they are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes Future studies including adults of all ages are needed to confirm these finding related to e-cigarette use among non-smokers and former smokers, and to determine the role of e-cigarettes on relapse of smoking. This link between beliefs about e-cigarettes and subsequent experimentation can be used to guide future anti-nicotine and anti-smoking campaigns that encompass the new technology of e-cigarettes. He added: "Understanding the specific beliefs that predict subsequent e-cigarette experimentation allows us to focus on these beliefs when designing public health messages. Results from this study suggest that messages about the lack of evidence on e-cigarettes being cessation aids, and the uncertainty of the risks associated with e-cigarette use may discourage young adults, particularly young adult non-smokers and former smokers, from experimenting with e-cigarettes.