E-cigarette use among middle and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014, according to new federal data, figures that are sure to heat up the debate over how to regulate the products.
The data released by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that cigarette use among high school students skyrocketed from 4.5 percent in 2013 to more than 13 percent in 2014 and among middle school students from 1 percent to nearly 4 percent.
The data also found that minors are also using e-cigarettes more than regular cigarettes.
The data was culled from the agencies’ National Youth Tobacco Survey, which collected information on e-cigarette use for the first time.
E-cigarettes have become a booming industry, with more people using those instead of traditional cigarettes. However, the products have yet to be regulated by the FDA.
The agency released proposed regulations that would ban their use among youths 18 years old or younger, but they haven’t been finalized.
“We want parents to know that nicotine is dangerous for kids at any age, whether it’s an e-cigarette, hookah, cigarette or cigar,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden.
