Racial/Ethnic Differences in Electronic Cigarette Use and Reasons for Use among Current and Former Smokers: Findings from a Community-Based Sample

Background: Since their introduction in 2004, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have gained popularity worldwide. E-cigarettes are marketed as nicotine delivery devices. Commonly reported reasons for use include to quit smoking, to reduce urge to smoke, or the perceived lower risk alternative to smoking. But what are the actual amounts of nicotine delivered? Aim: This review summarizes all the published studies concerning nicotine or cotinine levels following e-cigarette use. Methods: A literature search was conducted from the PubMed database, from 1985 to January 2014, using the following terms: electronic cigarette(s), e-cigarette(s), electronic nicotine delivery system, cotinine, and nicotine. Articles were excluded if they were not pertinent according to our criteria. References of all relevant articles were also evaluated. Results: Eight studies were included in this review. The following information was extracted from the articles: population size, age of participants, recruitment, inclusion and exclusion criteria, concentration of nicotine in refills liquids, study sample design, and observed concentrations. Following design of studies, plasma nicotine Cmax was observed between 0 and 5 ng/mL (no significant changes) or between 13.9 and 16.3 ng/mL (similar to a tobacco cigarette) with a Tmax between 70 and 75 minutes. Cotinine levels after “vaping” an e-cigarette are similar to a tobacco cigarette. Conclusion: This review summarizes e-cigarette studies that contain information on nicotine or cotinine levels. The peak concentration of nicotine appears to be dependent on the use and dose level of e-cigarette cartridge. The value of this peak concentration is similar to the value found with a tobacco cigarette. However, the time corresponding to the peak concentration is delayed compared to a tobacco cigarette.

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Association between electronic cigarette use and smoking cessation in the European Union in 2017: analysis of a representative sample of 13 057 Europeans from 28 countries

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055190 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 71-76

Author(s):

Konstantinos E Farsalinos ◽

Anastasia Barbouni

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Electronic Cigarette ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

The European Union ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Former Smokers ◽

Prevalence Ratios ◽

The Eu

ObjectivesTo examine the association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and smoking cessation in the European Union (EU) in 2017 according to e-cigarette use frequency and smoking cessation duration.DesignCross-sectional survey of EU citizens, representative of the population (Special Eurobarometer 458). Weighted proportions (95% CI) and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were calculated.SettingEU.Participants13 057 EU citizens aged ≥15 years (6904 current and 6153 former smokers).ResultsCurrent daily e-cigarette use was reported by 2.4% (1.8%–3.1%) of current and 3.3% (2.5%–4.2%) of former smokers (p=0.002), while former daily use was reported by 5.6% (4.7%–6.8%) and 1.9% (1.3%–2.7%), respectively (p<0.001). More than half of all former smokers had quit for >10 years. Current daily e-cigarette use was rare among former smokers of >10 years (0.2%, 0.1%–0.6%) and was more prevalent in former smokers of ≤2 and 3–5 years (12.9%, 9.1%–17.9% and 9.0%, 5.8%–13.7%, respectively). Compared with never use, current daily e-cigarette use was associated with being a former smoker of ≤2 (aPR 4.96, 95% CI 3.57 to 6.90) and 3–5 years (aPR 3.20, 95% CI 2.10 to 4.87). Former daily e-cigarette use was associated with being a former smoker of ≤2 years (aPR 1.96, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.12). Current daily e-cigarette use was negatively associated with being a former smoker of 5–10 and >10 years.ConclusionsCurrent daily e-cigarette use in the EU in 2017 was rare among former smokers of >10 years and was positively associated with recent (≤5 years) smoking cessation. Former daily e-cigarette use was also positively associated with recent (≤2 years) smoking cessation.

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Association of device type, flavours and vaping behaviour with tobacco product transitions among adult electronic cigarette users in the USA

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055999 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-055999

Author(s):

Alyssa F Harlow ◽

Jessica L Fetterman ◽

Craig S Ross ◽

Rose Marie Robertson ◽

Aruni Bhatnagar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cigarette Smoking ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Electronic Cigarette ◽

Health Study ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Use Patterns ◽

The Usa ◽

Former Smokers

BackgroundFew studies assess whether electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) device characteristics or flavours impact longitudinal patterns of cigarette and e-cigarette use.DesignWe examined data from waves 2–4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (2014–2018). Among adult (≥18 years) current e-cigarette users at wave 2 who were current smokers (dual users; n=1759) and former smokers (exclusive e-cigarette users; n=470), we classified participants into four use patterns at wave 3 (~12 months later) and wave 4 (~24 months later): (1) dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes; (2) exclusive cigarette smoking; (3) exclusive e-cigarette use; (4) non-use of both products. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess correlates of changing use patterns at 24 months, relative to no change, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.ResultsAt 24 months, 26.5% of baseline exclusive e-cigarette users, and 9% of baseline dual users, abstained from both vaping and smoking. Participants who vaped non-tobacco flavours (vs tobacco flavours), and used refillable tank or modifiable devices (vs disposable, cartridges and other devices) were less likely to transition to non-use of both products and to exclusive cigarette smoking. Baseline daily vaping (vs non-daily) was positively associated with exclusive e-cigarette use at 24 months for baseline daily cigarette smokers, but negatively associated with exclusive e-cigarette use and non-use of both products at 24 months for baseline non-daily smokers.ConclusionsNon-tobacco flavours, daily vaping and modifiable e-cigarette devices may help some smokers abstain from cigarette smoking via transitioning to exclusive e-cigarette use, but are also associated with ongoing exclusive e-cigarette use.

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Electronic cigarette use among patients with cancer: Reasons for use, beliefs, and patient-provider communication

Psycho-Oncology ◽

10.1002/pon.4721 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (7) ◽

pp. 1757-1764 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

John B. Correa ◽

Karen O. Brandon ◽

Lauren R. Meltzer ◽

Hannah J. Hoehn ◽

Bárbara Piñeiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electronic Cigarette ◽

Provider Communication ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Patient Provider Communication ◽

Reasons For Use

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Electronic cigarette use among university students aged 18–24 years in New Zealand: results of a 2018 national cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035093 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. e035093 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ben Wamamili ◽

Mark Wallace-Bell ◽

Ann Richardson ◽

Randolph C Grace ◽

Pat Coope

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

University Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Electronic Cigarette ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Free Spaces ◽

Reasons For Use

ObjectivesTo examine electronic cigarette use, reasons for use and perceptions of harm among university students.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingUniversity students across New Zealand.MethodsWe analysed data from a 2018 cross-sectional survey of university students, weighted to account for undersampling and oversampling by gender and university size. χ2 tests were used to compare e-cigarette use, reasons for use and perceptions of harm by age, gender, ethnicity and cigarette smoking.ParticipantsThe sample comprised 1476 students: 62.3% aged 18–20 years, 37.7% aged 21–24 years; 38.6% male, 61.4% female; 7.9% Māori and 92.1% non-Māori.Results40.5% of respondents (95% CI 37.9 to 43.1) reported ever, 6.1% (4.9–7.4) current and 1.7% (1.1–2.5) daily use. Regardless of frequency, 11.5% of vapers had vaped daily for ≥1 month, 70.2% of whom used nicotine-containing devices; 80.8% reported not vaping in indoor and 73.8% in outdoor smoke-free spaces. Among ever vapers, curiosity (67.4%), enjoyment (14.4%) and quitting (2.4%) were common reasons for vaping. 76.1% (73.4–78.7) of respondents believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes.More males than females reported vaping (ever, current, daily and daily for ≥1 month), nicotine use and belief that e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes. More participants aged 18–20 years reported not vaping in outdoor smoke-free spaces, vaping out of curiosity and belief that e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes, while more participants aged 21–24 years vaped daily for ≥1 month and for enjoyment. More Māori than non-Māori ever vaped. More cigarette smokers than non-smokers vaped (ever, current, daily and daily for ≥1 month), used nicotine and vaped to quit, while more non-smokers did not vape in smoke-free spaces and vaped out of curiosity.ConclusionsOur results suggest high prevalence of e-cigarette ever and current use, particularly among males and smokers. Many vaped out of curiosity and perceived e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes.

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