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Characteristics of e-cigarette users, perceptions of harm and reasons for use among college students
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that convert liquid nicotine into inhaled vapor. Recent data suggest that e-cigarettes are especially popular among teens and young adults. Available research reveals limited information about e-cigarette user’s characteristics, perceptions of harm and reasons for use among this growing population of users.
Methods:
An anonymous online survey was completed by 2809 college students. Demographic information, perceptions of harm, and data regarding acceptability of e-cigarette use and reasons for initiation of use were collected and analyzed.
Results:
Twenty-seven percent of participants (753) reported ever using an e-cigarette, with 7.1% reporting that it was somewhat or very likely that they would try an e-cigarette in the future. Among e-cigarette users, 41.8% reported learning about e-cigarettes from a friend. 25.9% had used an e-cigarette the first time experimentally and 15.0% tried an e-cigarette in an effort to stop smoking tobacco cigarettes. The majority of participants (52.2%) perceived e-cigarettes to be less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes with 52.0% perceiving e-cigarettes to have fewer toxins than tobacco cigarettes. The average perceived harmfulness rating of e-cigarettes was 4.58 on a scale from 0 (very safe) to 7 (very dangerous).
Conclusions:
A relatively high rate of e-cigarette use was reported among participants and a smaller percentage indicated that it was likely they would try an e-cigarette in the future. E-cigarette use was perceived as safer and less harmful than tobacco cigarette use. Better understanding of e-cigarette use and characteristics of users will be important as harm-reduction, prevention and intervention programs are developed.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelinesPublic health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe the widespread adoption of e-cigarettes, including the entrance of the tobacco industry into this market.
Describe the published literature on the contents of e-cigarette liquid, inhaled vapors, and secondhand vapor’s volatile organic compound composition and the potential impact on health.
Compare differences in risk perception between e-cigarette users and non-users in the evaluated population
Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Research
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been an assistant professor at Kent State University since 2011. I have over 10 years of experience as a researcher and practitioner in the field of substance abuse in both academic and nonprofit settings. Helped secure over $7.6 million in funded research and grants and authored/co-authored articles on the topic of substance abuse and behavior change. My research interests include substance abuse treatment, community corrections, TTM, cognitive-behavioral interventions, social-information processing, policy and evaluation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.