Francisca López Torrecillas

A team from the United Kingdom has conducted an umbrella review, or review of reviews, on the risks of vaping among young people. After analysing 56 reviews including 384 studies, their conclusions are that vaping is subsequently associated with increased consumption of tobacco, marijuana and alcohol. It is also associated with an increased risk of asthma, coughing, injuries and mental health problems. The results are published in the journal Tobacco Control.

E-cigarettes, vapes, pods, mods... The popularity of these devices continues to grow, especially among young people. According to a Spanish survey, more than half of the adolescents aged 14 to 18 have used them at some point. Vaping control varies from country to country: in Spain, vaping products have been regulated since 2017 and the new anti-smoking plan aims to equate their legislation to that of tobacco, while the United States imposes fewer restrictions. In this brief guide, we explain what is known and not known on controversial issues such as the safety of electronic cigarettes, their risks or whether they are useful to quit tobacco.