In the last few years, e-cigarettes have become quite popular among teenagers across the nation. Seeing the pattern a meeting was organized on Friday in Columbus to raise awareness among parents about the dangers associated with e-cigarettes and the way it is marketed to attract the attention of youngsters.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Deputy Director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Peter Shields, MD, have organized the meeting. Shields said that tobacco addiction starts in young age. In Ohio, nine out 10 adult smokers started smoking when they were 18 years old.

“Smokeless tobacco products are especially concerning because they are very attractive to youth and tobacco companies actively deploy marketing tactics aimed at encouraging dual use of smokeless tobacco with cigarettes to this audience”, stated Shields.

As per the Ohio Department of Health Tobacco Program, electronic cigarettes were most popular in the age group of 18 to 34 year old in which 34% have tried an-cigarette. The National Youth Tobacco Survey has found that between 2011 and 2014, there has been around 800% rise in e-cigarette use among high school students.

DeWine and Shield shared in the meeting that studies carried out on this topic have found that teenage brains are permanently affected due to nicotine exposure. Now, many e-cigarette products can be mistaken as common school supplies like pens, highlighters. Moreover, marketing techniques make youngsters to try it. Therefore, it is important that parents should be alert.