10.8 million Americans smoke e-cigarettes

Is vaping the future of smoking?

In a large study that analyzed data from almost 467,000 American adults, researchers discovered that e-cigarette use is becoming increasingly common in the U.S. About 10.8 million Americans use e-cigarettes, and approximately one-third of those people use them daily.

Because of the huge pool of data available, scientists were able to uncover some underlying trends. Vaping was increasingly common among 20-somethings, unemployed adults, people with chronic medical conditions, and members of the LGBT community, Reuters reported. "It is becoming clear that specific vulnerable groups are at highest risk of adopting electronic cigarettes," said study author Dr. Michael Blaha.

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"The most common pattern of use in the U.S. is dual use," Dr. Blaha said, which means that most people who use e-cigarettes also use traditional ones. So despite the rise of e-cigarettes, big tobacco companies need not necessarily be worried. Still, many brands, including Altria Group Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Co., and Reynolds American Inc., are creating their own e-cigarettes just in case.

The data in this study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, was self-reported, so it can't be verified for 100 percent accuracy. But researchers are confident in the underlying trends — as well as what the findings explain about smokers' behavior in recent years. Read more about this study at Reuters.