Electronic cigarette use by college students

Journal Article

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Drug and alcohol dependence

Drug Alcohol Depend.

1-Aug

131

214

221

LR: 20150426; CI: Copyright (c) 2013; GR: F32CA141933/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: K01 DA027097/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States; GR: K01DA027097/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States; GR: P30 CA012197/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 AA014007/AA/NIAAA NIH

Ireland

1879-0046; 0376-8716

PMID: 23746429

eng

Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; IM

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.05.001 [doi]

Unknown(0)

23746429

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery operated devices that deliver nicotine via inhaled vapor. There is considerable controversy about the disease risk and toxicity of e-cigarettes and empirical evidence on short- and long-term health effects is minimal. Limited data on e-cigarette use and correlates exist, and to our knowledge, no prevalence rates among U.S. college students have been reported. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of e-cigarette use and identify correlates of use among a large, multi-institution, random sample of college students. METHODS: 4444 students from 8 colleges in North Carolina completed a Web-based survey in fall 2009. RESULTS: Ever use of e-cigarettes was reported by 4.9% of students, with 1.5% reporting past month use. Correlates of ever use included male gender, Hispanic or "Other race" (compared to non-Hispanic Whites), Greek affiliation, conventional cigarette smoking and e-cigarette harm perceptions. Although e-cigarette use was more common among conventional cigarette smokers, 12% of ever e-cigarette users had never smoked a conventional cigarette. Among current cigarette smokers, e-cigarette use was negatively associated with lack of knowledge about e-cigarette harm, but was not associated with intentions to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Although e-cigarette use was more common among conventional cigarette smokers, it was not exclusive to them. E-cigarette use was not associated with intentions to quit smoking among a sub-sample of conventional cigarette smokers. Unlike older, more established cigarette smokers, e-cigarette use by college students does not appear to be motivated by the desire to quit cigarette smoking.

Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Sutfin,E.L., McCoy,T.P., Morrell,H.E., Hoeppner,B.B., Wolfson,M.

Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States. ESutfin@wakehealth.edu

20130607

PMC3760168

http://vp9py7xf3h.search.serialssolutions.com/?charset=utf-8&pmid=23746429

2013