An 8-year longitudinal study of long-term, continuous users of electronic cigarettes.
E-cigarette
Electronic Cigarette
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices (ENDS)
Internet
Nicotine
Smoking
Tobacco Use Disorder
Journal
Addictive behaviors
ISSN: 1873-6327
Titre abrégé: Addict Behav
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7603486
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
02 2024
02 2024
Historique:
received:
23
05
2023
revised:
12
10
2023
accepted:
14
10
2023
medline:
28
11
2023
pubmed:
23
10
2023
entrez:
22
10
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
E-cigarettes have been available for over 15 years, but relatively little is known about long-term users. Our aim was to describe change over time in behaviours, attitudes and dependence in long-term users. A longitudinal study of 375 e-cigarette users enrolled on the Internet in 2012-2016 and surveyed again in 2021 (8 years later on average), who continuously used e-cigarettes in the interval. Fewer people in 2021 (11 %) than at baseline (33 %) had smoked tobacco in the past 31 days. Participants switched from second-generation models at baseline (e.g. Ego) to box mods in 2021 (e.g. iStick), they used larger refill bottles, they used home-made e-liquids twice as often, they used tobacco flavours less often and the nicotine concentration in e-liquids decreased from 12 to 6 mg/mL. There was no change over time in the time to the first e-cigarette puff of the day, but an e-cigarette dependence score of 0-100 decreased from 75 to 60, the frequency and strength of urges to vape decreased (from 31 % to 18 % of "strong" urges) and the proportion of people who said they would be likely to succeed if they tried to stop vaping increased. Compared to baseline, fewer people in 2021 reported vaping to cope with cravings or other smoking cessation symptoms, and fewer people reported vaping to quit smoking, to avoid relapse into smoking, or to reduce their tobacco consumption (p < 0.001 for all differences). In long-term, continuous users, over a period of 8 years, substantial changes were observed in the models of e-cigarettes used, in the flavours and strength of e-liquids, and in the reasons for vaping. Their level of nicotine dependence tended to decrease over time. These users were satisfied with e-cigarettes and vaped mostly because they felt that vaping was less dangerous than smoking, and for enjoyment.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
E-cigarettes have been available for over 15 years, but relatively little is known about long-term users. Our aim was to describe change over time in behaviours, attitudes and dependence in long-term users.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS
A longitudinal study of 375 e-cigarette users enrolled on the Internet in 2012-2016 and surveyed again in 2021 (8 years later on average), who continuously used e-cigarettes in the interval.
FINDINGS
Fewer people in 2021 (11 %) than at baseline (33 %) had smoked tobacco in the past 31 days. Participants switched from second-generation models at baseline (e.g. Ego) to box mods in 2021 (e.g. iStick), they used larger refill bottles, they used home-made e-liquids twice as often, they used tobacco flavours less often and the nicotine concentration in e-liquids decreased from 12 to 6 mg/mL. There was no change over time in the time to the first e-cigarette puff of the day, but an e-cigarette dependence score of 0-100 decreased from 75 to 60, the frequency and strength of urges to vape decreased (from 31 % to 18 % of "strong" urges) and the proportion of people who said they would be likely to succeed if they tried to stop vaping increased. Compared to baseline, fewer people in 2021 reported vaping to cope with cravings or other smoking cessation symptoms, and fewer people reported vaping to quit smoking, to avoid relapse into smoking, or to reduce their tobacco consumption (p < 0.001 for all differences).
CONCLUSIONS
In long-term, continuous users, over a period of 8 years, substantial changes were observed in the models of e-cigarettes used, in the flavours and strength of e-liquids, and in the reasons for vaping. Their level of nicotine dependence tended to decrease over time. These users were satisfied with e-cigarettes and vaped mostly because they felt that vaping was less dangerous than smoking, and for enjoyment.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37866230
pii: S0306-4603(23)00286-1
doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107891
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
107891Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.