State Legislature Poised to Raise Legal Age for Tobacco Purchases to 21

They didn't track e-cigarette habits but many studies indicate a meteoric rise in vaping's popularity in recent years. Only 27 percent of young teens in 2015 said it was "OK to try a cigarette", compared with 70 percent 15 years earlier.

Hence, while neither widespread regular youth vaping, nor the renormalisation of smoking, appear to have occurred during the period investigated here, ongoing monitoring of young people's e-cigarette use, and links to smoking, remains a public health priority'.

Analysis of the responses showed that between 1998 and 2015 the percentage of 13 and 15-year olds who had ever smoked fell from 60 per cent to 19 per cent, while the proportion of regular smokers fell from 19 per cent to 5 per cent. He is vice president of economic and health policy research.

So, is vaping a substitute for smoking?

The UK media's reporting of the study was accurate, but may have benefited from mentioning that use of vaping or views on e-cigarettes were not assessed by this study. But there's concern that some young people are experimenting with e-cigarettes when they have never smoked previously, and may then go on to smoke cigarettes.

Favourable perceptions of regular smoking among this age group also fell at a faster rate after the proliferation of e-cigarettes, which wouldn't be expected if smoking was in the process of being 'renormalised, ' say the researchers.

The study looked at nearly 250,000 responses to three separate surveys of 13-15 years olds in England, Scotland and Wales between 1998 and 2015.

They said in the paper: 'Our results provide little evidence that renormalisation of smoking occurred during this period.

"From the National Youth Tobacco Survey, there has been a 78% increase in use of high school students in the past year, 48% increase in middle school students".

As electronic cigarettes took off, some anxious they would lead teens back to traditional cigarettes.

The dramatic decline in the popularity of smoking since the turn of the millennium could largely be the result of increased education and awareness of the harms of smoking, and that it's now less socially acceptable, particularly since the smoking ban in public places.

The rapid spread of e-cigarette use among young teenagers has not slowed the decline in smoking in the same age group, much less reversed it, according to new research (AFP Photo/EVA HAMBACH) More Paris (AFP) - The rapid spread of e-cigarette use among young teenagers has not slowed the decline in smoking in the same age group, much less reversed it, according to a new study.

In February, a report found that the number of children and young people who are trying vaping is on the rise.

"Meanwhile, e-cigarettes have become the most popular quit aid for adult smokers, which means fewer role models for smoking".

Although this study is positive on the one hand, it still leaves some unanswered questions and doubts about the effect of e-cigarettes among young people on the other.

E-cigarette manufacturers JUUL and Altria support raising the age.