E-cigarettes a gateway to smoking? Not likely

Are e-cigarettes a gateway product that lead more people, especially teens, to smoke regular cigarettes?

No, according to public health researchers from the University at Buffalo and the University of Michigan writing in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

"The national trends in vaping and cigarette smoking do not support the argument that vaping is leading to smoking," said Lynn Kozlowski, the paper's lead author and a professor of community health and health behavior in UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions.

Kozlowski, PhD, added that research in the U.S. shows that as use of e-cigarettes -- the act of which is known as vaping -- has increased, overall smoking rates have decreased.

Kozlowski's co-author is Kenneth Warner, the Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor of Public Health in Michigan's School of Public Health. Both Kozlowski and Warner are also former deans of their respective public health schools.

"Our analysis focused on the risks for moving from e-cigarettes to cigarettes. There is little evidence that those who have never smoked cigarettes or never used other tobacco products and first try e-cigarettes will later move on to cigarette usage with great frequency or daily, regular smoking," said Kozlowski.