Recent studies have shown an increasing amount of young adult current e-cigarette users have never smoked cigarettes or have never been regular cigarette smokers. Young adult e-cigarette users also report addiction as a concern and have difficulty trying to quit smoking. Additionally, those that report dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes are less likely to stop using either or both products. Therefore, there has been an increase in the need for research focused on the development of effective strategies for quitting e-cigarette use. Many factors influence substance use progression including sensation seeking, interpersonal influences, harm perceptions, and sensory experiences associated with use. This study examines baseline predictors of future e-cigarette use cessation among young adults.
The study’s sample consisted of 435 young adults age 18 to 29 years old enrolled in community college in Hawai’i. Students completed a baseline survey and a 12-month follow-up survey. The survey assessed sensation seeking behaviors, anxiety symptoms, and depression symptoms. In regards to e-cigarette use, participants were asked about use duration, current personal use, social network use, dependence, sensations, flavors, devices, nicotine concentration, and e-cigarette harm perceptions. Lastly, past 30-day cigarette and cannabis use and past 2 week binge drinking were measured. Data was analyzed using multiple logistic regressions.
Results of the data analysis showed the majority of users were daily e-cigarette users, had been using e-cigarettes for more than six months, and were not dual users of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Approximately 42% of baseline e-cigarette users reported quitting use at the one-year follow-up survey. The factors associated with lower likelihood of e-cigarette use discontinuation were higher e-cigarette dependence, longer history of e-cigarette use, lower e-cigarette harm perceptions, preference for both menthol and sweet flavors, preference for open-pod-based devices, and for e-cigarette use sensations like “buzz”, taste and smell, and “throat hit”.
Takeaway: Characteristics associated with nicotine and flavors of e-cigarettes may impact discontinuation of e-cigarette use among young adults.