Trends in Awareness, Use of, and Beliefs About Electronic Cigarette and Snus Among a Longitudinal Cohort of US Midwest Young Adults

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a longitudinal study examining trends in awareness, use, and beliefs about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and snus among a cohort of young adults from the US Midwest. The study focuses on young adults as they are more likely to have tried these products and view them as less harmful than combustible cigarettes. The study aims to monitor the trends in awareness, use of, and beliefs about these novel tobacco products, especially since positive beliefs of e-cigarettes have been found to predict subsequent experimentation with e-cigarettes among smokers and nonsmokers alike.

Key Points:

* The study was conducted using data from the Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort (MACC) Study collected annually during 2010-2013 when participants were 21-29 years old.
* Participants were asked if they had heard of and ever used e-cigarettes and snus, and the number of days they used these products in the past 30 days. Beliefs about whether these products are less harmful than cigarettes, less addictive than cigarettes, and could help people quit smoking were also assessed.
* Compared to 2010-2011, participants in 2012-2013 were five times more likely to be aware of e-cigarettes, report ever used them, and report using them in the past 30-days.
* Participants were increasingly likely to believe that e-cigarettes are less harmful than combustible cigarettes and could help people quit smoking.
* There was only a modest increase in awareness of and ever using snus, as well as believing snus is less harmful than combustible cigarettes.
* These trends did not differ by smoking status.
* The increasingly favorable beliefs about e-cigarettes may explain the increasing prevalence of their use particularly among young adults, both among smokers and nonsmokers.

Main Message:
The study highlights the increasing awareness, use, and positive beliefs about e-cigarettes among young adults, and the need for strategically communicating the risks associated with e-cigarettes and snus use to minimize the burden of tobacco use at the population level. Given the potential of these products to have both positive and negative impact on public health depending on who use them and how they are used, it is crucial to monitor trends and communicate risks effectively.

Choi, Kelvin, Jessica Bestrashniy, and Jean Forster. “Trends in Awareness, Use of, and Beliefs About Electronic Cigarette and Snus Among a Longitudinal Cohort of US Midwest Young Adults.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 20, no. 2 (January 5, 2018): 239–45. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx042.