Did your Brain suffer from those puffs of that High School Cigarette?

 

After decades of educational programming and advertising, regular cigarette smoking and sales in the United States have declined to their lowest levels in 50 years. But doctors and parents are now racing to deal with another health crisis that has popped up in its place: the meteoric rise of electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes) among adolescents.

This nicotine electronic delivery device was originally introduced to the market as a promising tool to aid smoking cessation among already current smokers. Yet, the lack of federal regulations, the appealing flavors available, and perceptions that these devices were less harmful than regular cigarettes have led to a worrying spike in use among US adolescents. One in five US high school students and one in 20 middle school students currently use e-cigarettes.