Previous studies have debated whether e-cigarette use relates with intention to use other tobacco products or with tobacco cessation.  To extend this body of research, a recent study investigated two questions among U.S. adolescents: Among never-smoking youths and youth experimenters, is e-cigarette use associated with future intention to smoke cigarettes?  Among current youth smokers, is e-cigarette use associated with intention to quit smoking?  First, the authors divided youth that participated in the 2012 National Tobacco Youth Survey into three groups according to cigarette use: never-smoking youth (n=16,238); youth experimenters (n=3,248; smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in lifetime and none in past 30 days); and, current smokers (n=707).  Within each group, the authors further divided participants according to e-cigarette use: experimental (had used e-cigarettes) and control (had never used e-cigarettes).  Then, the authors applied the Propensity Score Matching statistical technique to assess the study outcomes.  Results suggested that ever e-cigarette users categorized as never-smoking youth and youth experimenters were more likely to express future intention to smoke cigarettes than control subjects who had never used e-cigarettes.  In addition, ever e-cigarette users categorized as current smokers did not associate with intention to quit smoking.

Take Away: This study concluded that e-cigarette use among U.S. youth (grades 6-12) associates with future intention to smoke cigarettes but not with intention to quit smoking.  If these attitudes extend into college among first-year students, universities should ensure their tobacco prevention efforts address the concerns, harms, and potential consequences associated with e-cigarette use.

Park, J. Y., Seo, D. C., & Lin, H. C. (2016). E-cigarette use and intention to initiate or quit smoking among US youths. American journal of public health106(4), 672-678.