Do Adolescent Smokers Use E-Cigarettes to Help Them Quit? The Sociodemographic Correlates and Cessation Motivations of U.S. Adolescent E-Cigarette Use

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study examining the use of e-cigarettes among adolescents in the United States. The study aims to identify the sociodemographic traits of adolescent e-cigarette users and whether e-cigarettes are used as cessation aids among adolescent smokers. The study uses a cross-sectional design and survey research methods to gather and analyze data from a probability sample of 15,264 adolescents in grades 6 through 12.

Key Points:

* The study found that 3.2% of adolescents had used e-cigarettes.
* E-cigarette use is significantly lower for females, non-Hispanic black youth, and Mexican-American youth.
* E-cigarette use is significantly higher for adolescents who smoke conventional cigarettes or have friends who smoke.
* Among conventional cigarette smokers, neither desire to quit nor recent quit attempts is significantly associated with e-cigarette use.
* The study suggests that more regulatory and prevention efforts are needed, especially for certain adolescent subpopulations.
* The study has limitations, such as the cross-sectional nature of the data and the lack of information on family background.
* The study highlights the need for future studies to assess other risk factors of adolescent e-cigarette use and the health risks incurred from such use.

Main Message:
The main message of this text is that e-cigarette use is more common among certain adolescent subgroups than others and does not appear to be part of a cessation regimen among conventional cigarette smokers wishing to quit. The study suggests that more regulatory and prevention efforts are needed, especially for certain adolescent subpopulations. The text also highlights the need for future studies to assess other risk factors of adolescent e-cigarette use and the health risks incurred from such use. It is important for regulatory bodies to consider these findings when developing policies regarding the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes to minors.

Lippert, Adam M. “Do Adolescent Smokers Use E-Cigarettes to Help Them Quit? The Sociodemographic Correlates and Cessation Motivations of U.S. Adolescent E-Cigarette Use.” American Journal of Health Promotion 29, no. 6 (July 2015): 374–79. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.131120-QUAN-595.