New study suggests e-cigarettes are a 'gateway drug'

New study suggests e-cigarettes are a 'gateway drug'
(Image credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

A new study suggests that because e-cigarettes contain nicotine, they may be a "gateway drug" for users.

The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that e-cigarettes could make users more likely to use other drugs, particularly cocaine. Denise Kandel and Eric Kandel, the researchers behind the study, have looked at nicotine's effects for years, and found that nicotine enhanced cocaine's effects in mice by "activating a reward-related gene and shutting off inhibition," Time reports.

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E-cigarettes have received a fair share of criticism in recent weeks, with the American Heart Association calling for stricter regulations and the World Health Organization advocating a ban on e-cigarette sales to minors. There is still debate as to whether e-cigarettes can help smokers quit the habit.

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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.