Many previous studies have investigated the connection between cigarette use and depressive symptoms. However, a new study aimed to examine this association within young adults by including frequency of use of alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and hookah.
In this study, data from the Marketing and Promotions across Colleges in Texas (M-PACT) was used to measure depressive symptoms and tobacco product use within over 5000 young adults.
The results of the data analysis indicated that cigarettes were the most common form of tobacco used, and e-cigarettes and hookah were slightly less common. Increased frequency of use of these products was associated with increased depressive symptoms. The higher amount of days per month that a tobacco product was used was related to higher likelihood of reporting symptoms of depression. Dual-use of different tobacco products was associated with higher reports of depressive symptoms compared to those who only used one product. Use of disposable e-cigarettes and cigarettes used infrequently did not have an impact on depressive symptoms, likely due to the experimental nature of the use.
Take Away: Young adults who use cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or hookah are more likely to report experiencing depressive symptoms. These symptoms are even more common within users of two different tobacco products.
Marsden, D.G., Wilkinson, A.V. (2019). Associations between frequency of cigarette and alternative tobacco product use and depressive symptoms: A longitudinal study of young adults. Addictive Behaviors. doi.org,/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106078