​Worrying amounts of teenagers try electronic cigarettes because of tempting flavours warns Ash Scotland

Teenagers are trying electronic cigarettes because of flavours such as bubblegum and milkshake an anti-smoking charity has warned.

Ash Scotland, which carried out the first survey into the attitudes of Scottish teenagers to e-cigarettes, said although only 12% of teenagers thought they were cool one in four 13 and 14-year olds and almost half of 15 to 18-year-olds had tried the nicotine delivery devices.

It called for the promotion and marketing of flavours its sees as being aimed at tempting younger people to be investigated after more than half of all respondents said they could be influenced by advertising to try them.

ASH Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy said: “Our survey shows teenagers are using e-cigarettes in significant numbers and it is particularly worrying that children as young as 13 and 14 are trying them.

“The findings underline our call for legislation to outlaw the sale of these devices to anyone under 18 and for tighter controls on their marketing.

“There is no doubt that e-cigarettes, which come in flavours such as milkshake and bubblegum, are attractive to young people.

“But many contain nicotine – a highly-addictive substance – and currently there is a lack of regulation of their contents and promotion.”