Study: E-cigarettes should be a 'last resort' for those quitting smoking

Study: E-cigarettes should be a 'last resort' for those quitting smoking
(Image credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

While some have touted e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, the American Heart Association (AHA) has issued an official statement saying that e-cigarettes are still dangerous, and should only be used as a "last resort" for people trying to quit smoking.

The policy statement, published Monday in the journal Circulation, calls for a complete overhaul of America's attitude toward e-cigarettes, which would include tighter laws and regulations. E-cigarettes aren't regulated by the FDA yet (and aren't approved by the FDA to help people quit smoking), and not much research has been done about their health impact. Despite this, the e-cigarette is a booming industry that is expected to make $10 billion by 2017.

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