Teenagers who play team sports are more likely to vape, study shows

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BOSTON -- Teenagers who play team sports are more likely to vape, according to new research.

Vaping increases the risk of respiratory problems and can be deadly in rare cases.

A study in the journal Pediatrics examined more than 30,000 high school students and found that while kids who participated in team sports were less likely to smoke, they were more likely to vape than other kids.

Teens, in general, seem to be under the impression that e-cigarettes are less harmful and less addictive than regular cigarettes and therefore need more aggressive education about the dangers of vaping.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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