Chinese children learning to smoke with candy-flavored e-cigarettes
(FOX News) - E-cigarettes are reportedly being used to get children hooked on smoking in China, where the average age for first-time smokers is under 11.
The sale of e-cigarettes is unregulated in China, Forbes reported, where candy-flavored versions are being sold to children for as little as $3.
"Some campaigners worry that e-cigarettes are gaining popularity in China before awareness of tobacco's dangers has become widespread," an Economist report said, according to Forbes.
Researchers at Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health recommended a total ban on e-cigarettes, warning that e-cigarettes targeting children could lead to a "tobacco epidemic," Forbes reported.