E-cigarette Use Is associated with Non-prescribed Medication Use in adults: Results from the PaTh Survey.

Introduction:
This text summarizes a study examining the association between e-cigarette use and the non-prescription use of controlled medications in a nationally representative sample of adults. The study controlled for various potential confounders, including age, gender, race, education, income, and other substance use. The results suggest a significant association between e-cigarette use and the non-prescription use of pain killers, sedatives, or tranquilizers, as well as the stimulants Ritalin/adderall.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the first three waves of the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) study.
* Current e-cigarette use was defined as daily or some-day use of e-cigs in wave 1.
* The study examined the association between current e-cigarette use in wave 1 and use of diverted prescription drugs, including pain killers, sedatives, or tranquilizers, and Ritalin/adderall in the last 30 days or last 12 months in waves 2 or 3.
* after adjusting for potential confounders, the use of e-cigs was associated with significantly higher use of non-prescribed pain killers, sedatives, or tranquilizers in the last 30 days and last 12 months.
* The use of e-cigs was also associated with significantly higher use of non-prescribed Ritalin/adderall in the last 30 days and last 12 months.
* The study suggests that medications could be dissolved and vaped by e-cig users.
* The study controlled for various potential confounders, including age, gender, race, education, income, and other substance use.

Main Message:
The study found a significant association between e-cigarette use and the non-prescription use of controlled medications, suggesting that e-cigarette use may be related to risky behavior. Clinicians should be aware of this association and assess whether inappropriate use of prescription medications occurs in their patients who use e-cigs. The study highlights the importance of informing patients that they should only take medication prescribed to them, use medica-tions as instructed, and not share with others.

Bentivegna K, atuegwu NC, Oncken C, Mead EL, Perez MF, Mortensen EM. E-cigarette Use Is associated with Non-prescribed Medication Use in adults: Results from the PaTh Survey. Journal of general internal medicine. 2019;34(10):1995-1997. doi:10.1007/s11606-019-05093-5