Smokers Who Try E-Cigarettes to Quit Smoking: Findings From a Multiethnic Study in Hawaii

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study examining the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid among a multiethnic sample of adult daily smokers in Hawaii. The study aimed to characterize smokers who are likely to use electronic cigarettes to quit smoking and to identify factors associated with the use of e-cigarettes for cessation.

Key Points:

* The study found that 13% of participants reported having ever used e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
* Smokers who had used e-cigarettes reported higher motivation to quit, higher quitting self-efficacy, and longer recent quit duration than other smokers.
* Age and Native Hawaiian ethnicity were inversely associated with the use of e-cigarettes for cessation.
* Smokers who had used nicotine replacement gum, patch, bupropion, or varenicline were more likely to have used e-cigarettes as cessation aids.
* Younger smokers and those with higher motivation to quit and quitting self-efficacy were more likely to use e-cigarettes for cessation.
* The study suggests that e-cigarettes may be perceived as valid cessation aids similar to FDA-approved cessation aids.
* The study highlights the importance of developing appropriate e-cigarette regulations that address smokers' use of e-cigarettes as cessation products.

Main Message:
The study provides valuable insights into the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid and identifies factors associated with their use for cessation. The findings suggest that smokers who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking are likely to show higher average motivation to quit and quitting self-efficacy, and longer recent quit duration than other smokers. However, the lack of firm evidence regarding safety or effectiveness highlights the importance of developing appropriate e-cigarette regulations that address smokers' use of e-cigarettes as cessation products. Overall, the study underscores the need for further research to better understand the potential benefits and risks of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.

Pokhrel, Pallav, Pebbles Fagan, Melissa A. Little, Crissy T. Kawamoto, and Thaddeus A. Herzog. “Smokers Who Try E-Cigarettes to Quit Smoking: Findings From a Multiethnic Study in Hawaii.” American Journal of Public Health 103, no. 9 (September 2013): e57–62. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301453.