Childhood maltreatment can lead to e-cigarette use during young adulthood: Study

Young adults who experienced maltreatment as children are more prone to use e-cigarettes, researchers have claimed.

In a study conducted on 208 individuals aged between 18-21 years, childhood maltreatment was related to negative urgency or the tendency to act rashly when distressed. This, in turn, was associated with higher use of e-cigarettes.

According to the study published in the Journal of American Journal on Addictions Keywords, the impulsive nature of negative urgency may link childhood maltreatment to e-cigarette use as children get older.

"Many young adults who have experienced abuse or neglect in their childhood struggle with substance abuse. Our study looked at e-cigarette use specifically and found that an individual's childhood maltreatment experiences might play a role in their use of e-cigarettes during their transition to adulthood," said lead author Dr Sunny H. Shin.