(AFP) - The electronic cigarette does not serve as a "gateway" to smoking among young people, according to a survey of more than 3.000 middle and high school students in Paris, published on the eve of Sunday No Tobacco Day.
Experimentation with e-cigarettes has seen a sharp increase in 3 years before stabilizing this year, according to the first results of the 2015 survey conducted by Paris Sans Tabac on a representative sample of nearly 3.350 students, in partnership with the rectorate of the Académie de Paris.
« Clearly, the electronic cigarette does not appear as a re-entry into smoking but as a substitute for smoking among young people, in Paris.“, Comments Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg, pulmonologist, president of Paris Sans Tabac.
At 12 years, Present in several = 10% of the students questioned have already experienced it.At 16, they are over Present in several = 50%.
But the vast majority (nearly 72%) of those who experience it do not use it regularly.
Regular users of the "e-cig" are even down between 2014 and 2015, from 14% to 11%, among 16-19 years and 9,8% to 6% at the 12-15 years.
In total, regular use concerns less than 10% of 12-19 year olds in Paris.
At the same time as the significant experimentation with electronic cigarettes (prohibited for sale to minors in France), there is "a significant drop in the rate of smoking, daily or occasional" among young people who go from 20,2% in 2011 to Present in several = 7,4% in 2015 for 12-15 years and of 42,9% to 33,3% for the 16-19 years, notes the rectorate.
The e-cigarette is a " lesser evil" , even if " the best is to take nothing“, Adds Professor Dautzenberg, who is delighted that“ tobacco becomes old " for young people .
Source : ladepeche.fr
