Perceptions of e-cigarettes: a comparison of adult smokers and non-smokers in a Mechanical Turk sample

Introduction:
This text summarizes a study that aimed to understand how e-cigarettes are perceived by the public, with a focus on how smoking status impacts adult perceptions and expectations of e-cigarettes. The study surveyed a large and diverse sample of adult ever and never smokers, including ever and never users of e-cigarettes, using the Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform.

Key Points:

* The study found that smokers and non-smokers learned about e-cigarettes primarily through the internet and conversations with others.
* Ever smokers were more likely than never smokers to have learned about e-cigarettes from point of sale advertising, and current smokers were more likely than former smokers to have learned about e-cigarettes through in-person conversations, from POS locations, and through social media.
* Participants reported that they believed that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit smoking and that they are less harmful than conventional cigarettes, but they were unlikely to believe that they are less addictive than conventional cigarettes.
* Current smokers were more likely than former smokers to report that e-cigarettes could help smokers quit.
* Among never users of e-cigarettes, current smokers were more likely than never smokers and former smokers to report that they would try e-cigarettes in the future.
* The top reason for wanting to try e-cigarettes was to quit or reduce smoking for current smokers, while never and former smokers listed curiosity.
* Female current smokers' top reason for not trying e-cigarettes was health and safety concerns, while males were deterred by expense.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of understanding how e-cigarettes are perceived by different groups of people, particularly smokers and non-smokers. Public health messages regarding e-cigarettes may need to be tailored separately for persons with and without a history of using conventional cigarettes, and tailoring messages by gender within smoker groups may also improve their impact. The study also emphasizes the need for further research on how e-cigarettes are marketed and how this marketing affects consumer perceptions and behaviors. Overall, the text highlights the importance of evidence-based policy making in the rapidly evolving area of e-cigarette regulation.

Bauhoff, Sebastian, Adrian Montero, and Deborah Scharf. “Perceptions of E-Cigarettes: A Comparison of Adult Smokers and Non-Smokers in a Mechanical Turk Sample.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 43, no. 3 (May 4, 2017): 311–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2016.1207654.