The image of children obscured by a haze 'smoke' from their e-cigarette might seem like an alarming vision, but reserach says parents have nothing to worry about. But contradictory research indicates that vaping could lead children to smoke cigarettes, which is leaving people confused.

“More so than quantum teleportation, e-cigarettes make me feel like I’m living in the future,” writes journalist Klint Finley. “They're a true novelty.” And with new research showing that teens now smoke e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco product, it would appear that the future is here to stay.

Vaping has coming a long way since the e-cigarette was invented in 2003; the global market for related products was worth $6 billion in 2015 and is set to reach $50 billion by 2025. But who are the people driving this growth and how have they built a community around an anti-smoking aid?

From nicotine gum to e-cigarettes, the global smoking cessation-aid market was worth around $2.4 billion in 2011, and as healthcare costs soar and more people seek to give up, its value is set to grow. But when it comes to kicking the habit, what will get people to quit – the carrot or the stick?