Is the use of electronic cigarettes while smoking associated with smoking cessation attempts, cessation and reduced cigarette consumption? A survey with a 1‐year follow‐up

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a longitudinal study examining the perceived relative harm of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) compared to traditional cigarettes among a cohort of past-year smokers in Great Britain. The study aims to assess changes in perceived harm over time, predictors of perceived harm, and whether perceived relative harm predicts subsequent e-cigarette use among never-users. The study also explores the impact of smoking status and demographics on perceived harm.

Key Points:

* The study surveyed a cohort of past-year smokers in Great Britain in three waves, from 2012 to 2014.
* The study found that the proportion of participants who perceived e-cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes decreased from 2013 to 2014.
* Previous perception of e-cigarettes as less harmful, having tried e-cigarettes, and having stopped smoking during the study period were associated with greater odds of perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes at wave 3.
* Perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes predicted subsequent use among respondents who had not previously tried an e-cigarette.
* The study also found that women and wave 1 smokers were more likely to report using e-cigarettes for the first time.
* The sample size for some subgroups, such as ex-smokers and relapsed smokers, was small, which reduced confidence in the results for these groups.
* Attrition differed with perceived relative harm at baseline, potentially reducing generalizability to younger, female, and more highly educated smokers or recent ex-smokers.

Main Message:
The study suggests that accurate perceptions of the relative harm of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes are important in promoting the use of e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool among smokers. However, the study also highlights the need for clear and balanced information on the relative harm of e-cigarettes and cigarettes to prevent misperceptions that may impede switching. It is important for all smokers, including e-cigarette users who continue smoking cigarettes, to receive advice and support to quit smoking entirely using the best available evidence.

Brose, Leonie S., Sara C. Hitchman, Jamie Brown, Robert West, and Ann McNeill. “Is the Use of Electronic Cigarettes While Smoking Associated with Smoking Cessation Attempts, Cessation and Reduced Cigarette Consumption? A Survey with a 1‐year Follow‐up.” Addiction 110, no. 7 (July 2015): 1160–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12917.