Previous studies have indicated that lower perceived risks of e-cigarettes are associated with e-cigarette use among young adults. A new longitudinal study examined the perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness of e-cigarettes and their influence on e-cigarette initiation, and whether this association varies by cigarette smoking status among college students. Participant data (n = 2,565) was from a 5-wave study of 24 colleges in Texas and included only data from participants who had reported never using e-cigarettes at wave 1. Participants completed an online survey that measured e-cigarette initiation, perceived harm of e-cigarettes, perceived addictiveness of e-cigarettes as well as socio-demographic variables. The authors used multilevel discrete-time hazard models to examine the perceptions of harmfulness of e-cigarettes to health and addictiveness of e-cigarettes in future e-cigarette initiation. Results showed that from wave 2 to wave 5, 21% of all never e-cigarette users initiated e-cigarette use. Furthermore, current cigarette use, other tobacco use and other substance use were statistically significantly associated with increasing odds of e-cigarette initiation. Although lower perceived harm of e-cigarettes was associated with greater odds of initiation among non-smokers (p = .047), no statistically significant association was found among current smokers (p = .062). Current cigarette use, other tobacco use and other substance use were also statistically significantly associated with increasing odds of e-cigarette initiation. Lastly, while lower perceived addictiveness of e-cigarettes was associated with greater odds of initiation among non-smokers (p < .001), there was no statistically significant association found among current smokers (p = .553).
Take away: This study found that lower perceptions on both perceived harmfulness and perceived addictiveness variables, predicted e-cigarette initiation among non-smoking college students, but not among college students currently smoking cigarettes.