Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among State Tobacco Cessation Quitline Callers

Introduction: This text is a brief report on a study examining the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among tobacco users who call state quitlines to seek help in quitting tobacco. The study investigates the prevalence of e-cigarette use, reasons for its use, and whether e-cigarettes impact a user's ability to successfully quit tobacco. The study also describes differences among quitline callers who used e-cigarettes for one month or more, used e-cigarettes for less than one month, or never tried e-cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The study found that nearly one third (30.9%) of respondents reported ever using or trying e-cigarettes, with most using for a short period of time (61.7% for less than one month).
* The most frequently reported reasons for use were to help quit other tobacco (51.3%) or to replace other tobacco (15.2%).
* Both e-cigarette user groups were significantly less likely to be tobacco abstinent at the 7-month survey compared with participants who had never tried e-cigarettes (30-day point prevalence quit rates: 21.7% and 16.6% vs. 31.3%, p < .001).
* Demographic differences between the three groups include e-cigarette users being more likely to be Caucasian, have obtained education beyond high school, and live and/or work with other tobacco users.
* Callers who had used e-cigarettes for one month or more were more likely to have commercial health insurance and have made multiple previous quit attempts.
* Callers who used e-cigarettes for less than one month were younger on average compared with the other two groups.
* There was a trend for callers who used e-cigarettes for one month or more to report a higher rate of using NRT or prescription medication to help them quit.

Main Message: This study offers a preliminary look at e-cigarette use among state quitline callers and is perhaps the first to describe e-cigarette use in a large group of tobacco users seeking treatment. The notable rates of e-cigarette use and use of e-cigarettes as cessation aids, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved e-cigarettes for this purpose, should inform policy and treatment discussions on this topic. The study highlights the need for further research on the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as cessation aids, as well as the potential impact of e-cigarette use on quitline treatment and outcomes.

Vickerman, K. A., K. M. Carpenter, T. Altman, C. M. Nash, and S. M. Zbikowski. “Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among State Tobacco Cessation Quitline Callers.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 15, no. 10 (October 1, 2013): 1787–91. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntt061.