E-cigarettes are attracting non-smokers to nicotine, EU warns

A precious aid to many smokers in their efforts to quit, e-cigarettes are nonetheless likely to attract non-smokers and lead to higher rates of nicotine addiction, cautions the European Commission in its "E-cigarettes Myth Buster" report.

Electronic cigarettes encourage smoking behaviors, the EU's governing body observes, citing recent studies suggesting that "e-cigarettes are increasingly used by non-smokers and young people."

A French study carried out in 2013, for example, indicated that the number of Parisian students who had tried vaping had doubled during the year to reach 18 percent. And users become more likely to try out traditional tobacco products once they have tried out smoking behaviors and experienced a nicotine buzz through vaping.

Nonetheless, there is some evidence that e-cigarettes, the health effects of which are largely unknown, can help smokers to give up their bad habit. Smokers looking to wean themselves off of nicotine with the device should start with an appropriately dosed e-liquid. The maximum strength authorized for sale is typically 20mg/ml. Though most smokers will find they can quit with this dosage or a much lower one, very heavy smokers can obtain a prescription for a higher dosage from a doctor if needed.