A Longitudinal Study of Electronic Cigarette Use Among a Population-Based Sample of Adult Smokers: Association With Smoking Cessation and Motivation to Quit

Introduction:
This text is a longitudinal study investigating the relationship between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and smoking cessation among a population-based sample of adult smokers in two US metropolitan areas. The study aims to answer whether e-cigarette use increases smoking cessation, reduces motivation to quit smoking, and what reasons are given for starting and stopping e-cigarette use. The study also addresses the challenges in defining e-cigarette use and establishes a more robust indicator to assess impact on smoking cessation.

Key Points:

* The study uses a population-based survey of over 5,000 adults in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas and Indianapolis, Indiana metropolitan areas, with 1,675 smokers who had been interviewed by telephone.
* The study includes 1,374 smokers who gave permission to be re-contacted and were followed up between January and March 2014.
* The main dependent variables were smoking cessation, and reduction in motivation to quit smoking among those who had not quit.
* The study finds that daily use of e-cigarettes for at least 1 month is strongly associated with quitting smoking at follow-up.
* The study also finds that intensive e-cigarette use is significantly associated with smoking cessation, while intermittent e-cigarette use is not.
* The study identifies several reasons for starting to use e-cigarettes, including using them as a substitute for smoking in places where smoking is prohibited, avoiding exposing others to second-hand smoke, avoiding smelling like tobacco smoke, helping cut down on the number of cigarettes smoked, helping quit smoking entirely, and saving money.
* The study finds that the most important reason for starting to use e-cigarettes is the hope that they would help users quit smoking.

Main Message:
The study provides evidence that daily use of e-cigarettes for at least 1 month is strongly associated with quitting smoking at follow-up. The study also finds that intensive e-cigarette use is significantly associated with smoking cessation, while intermittent e-cigarette use is not. These findings suggest that e-cigarettes may be an effective tool for promoting smoking cessation, but further research is needed to understand the underlying reasons for intensive versus intermittent use and the mechanisms underlying the associations between e-cigarette use, motivation to quit, and smoking cessation. The study also highlights the challenge of defining e-cigarette use and the need for more robust indicators to assess impact on smoking cessation.

Biener, L., and J. L. Hargraves. “A Longitudinal Study of Electronic Cigarette Use Among a Population-Based Sample of Adult Smokers: Association With Smoking Cessation and Motivation to Quit.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 17, no. 2 (February 1, 2015): 127–33. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu200.