Heated tobacco product use among Korean adolescents

Introduction:
This text discusses a study on the use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) among South Korean adolescents. The study examines the prevalence of HTP use, the association between HTP use and cigarette quit attempts, and the comparison between HTP use and e-cigarette use. The study aims to provide information for regulatory measures to protect adolescents from the potential harm of HTPs.

Key Points:

* The study uses data from the 14th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS) conducted in 2018, a nationally representative, cross-sectional, self-reported survey.
* The study defines ever HTP users as those who have ever used HTPs, excluding cigarette and e-cigarette use.
* The prevalence of ever HTP use among South Korean adolescents is 2.8%.
* Among ever HTP users, 75.5% are current cigarette users, 45.6% are current e-cigarette users, and 40.3% are concurrent cigarette and e-cigarette users.
* The proportion of current cigarette users who attempted to quit cigarette smoking is similar regardless of ever HTP use (70.9% in never-users, 73.6% in ever users).
* However, ever e-cigarette use was positively associated with quit attempts (aOR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.16 to 1.58).
* There is no significant association between ever HTP use and cigarette quit attempts (aOR=1.07, 95% CI: 0.91 to 1.26).
* The study suggests that HTPs have a role in polytobacco use rather than serving as a method to quit cigarettes.

Main Message:
The study highlights the concerning prevalence of HTP use among South Korean adolescents, which is expanding much faster than e-cigarette use. The majority of ever HTP users are currently using cigarette and/or e-cigarette products, suggesting that the tobacco industry's reduced harm claims are misleading. HTPs do not appear to be a perceived cessation regimen among cigarette smokers wishing to quit. Therefore, bans on advertisements with harm reduction claims are required immediately to protect adolescents, the priority group in tobacco control.

Kang, Heewon, and Sung-il Cho. “Heated Tobacco Product Use among Korean Adolescents.” Tobacco Control, June 4, 2019, tobaccocontrol-2019-054949. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-054949.