Electronic Cigarette Use by Youth: Prevalence, Correlates, and Use Trajectories From Middle to High School

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study on the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adolescents. The study followed a group of students from seventh grade through ninth grade and tracked their e-cigarette use and use of other substances. The study aimed to identify patterns of e-cigarette use and investigate the relationship between e-cigarette use and use of other substances.

Key Points:

* The study included 1,091 students from seven school districts in Oregon.
* Participants completed four self-report surveys on substance use, from the spring of eighth grade through the spring of ninth grade.
* The study found that 27.7% of eighth graders had used e-cigarettes and 16.8% were current e-cigarette users.
* Correlates of e-cigarette lifetime use by eighth grade included lifetime and current use of marijuana, alcohol, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco.
* The study identified five percent of students as "accelerators," who were using e-cigarettes on average 14 out of the last 30 days in eighth grade and increased to daily use by the end of ninth grade.
* Across all substances, those in the accelerator group were more likely to have reported lifetime substance use by eighth grade and current substance use in ninth grade, compared to the "infrequent/no use" group.

Main Message:
The study highlights the high prevalence of e-cigarette use among adolescents and the correlation between e-cigarette use and use of other substances, including marijuana. The study also identifies a subset of adolescents who progress to daily e-cigarette use in high school and are more likely to use other substances compared to low or nonusers. The findings suggest that e-cigarettes may be a relatively new addition to a constellation of substances being actively used by a segment of the youth population. As an expert in regulatory matters, it is important to consider these findings when developing policies and regulations around e-cigarette use.

Westling, Erika, Julie C. Rusby, Ryann Crowley, and John M. Light. “Electronic Cigarette Use by Youth: Prevalence, Correlates, and Use Trajectories From Middle to High School.” Journal of Adolescent Health 60, no. 6 (June 2017): 660–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.12.019.