Prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette source and use of e-cigarettes with nicotine: A case study of Mexico, where e-cigarettes are banned.

BACKGROUND

Low- and middle-income countries have increasingly banned e-cigarettes, as in Mexico. In these countries, little is known about where adults obtain e-cigarettes or who uses e-cigarettes with nicotine.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from eight online surveys of Mexican adults who both smoked and used e-cigarettes (November 2018-March 2021; n = 2,060). For the e-cigarette they used most often, participants reported how they acquired it (social sources=reference; online purchase; vape shop purchase; other retail purchase) and if it contained nicotine (no=reference group; yes; don't know). Multinomial models regressed each of these outcomes on smoking- and e-cigarette-related factors, as well as sociodemographics.

RESULTS

Almost half the sample (45.9 %) reported obtaining their e-cigarettes from social sources, with online purchase being the second most common source (28.7 %). Being male, having recently attempted to quit smoking, and more frequent e-cigarette use were positively associated with purchasing e-cigarettes (vs social sources) across all venues. Most reported that their e-cigarettes contained nicotine (58.2 %), a third reported using e-cigarettes without nicotine (35.9 %), and some did not know (5.8 %). More frequent smoking and e-cigarette use, using closed e-cigarette devices and purchasing e-cigarettes online were positively associated with using e-cigarettes with nicotine.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite Mexico's e-cigarette ban, adults who smoke access e-cigarettes through multiple sources, including online and vape shop purchases. Most participants reported using e-cigarettes with nicotine, though many did not or did not know.

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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.