Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and E-Cigarettes: State-Specific Use Patterns among U.S. adults, 2017-2018.

Introduction: This text provides an analysis of the use of tobacco products, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes, among U.S. adults in 2017-2018. It reports on the state-specific prevalence of current use of these products and cigarette quitting behaviors among e-cigarette users. The study aims to inform public health programs and policies by providing insights into tobacco use behaviors.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for 2017 and 2018, excluding data from Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
* Current cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco use, and e-cigarette use were defined based on respondents' self-reported use in the BRFSS survey.
* The prevalence of adult current cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use varied across states and remained relatively stable during 2017-2018.
* The prevalence of adult e-cigarette use significantly increased during 2017-2018 among 19 of 36 states that collected BRFSS e-cigarette data in 2018.
* among adults who currently use e-cigarettes, the percentage of current cigarette smoking was higher than that of never cigarette smoking in all states and DC.
* among adults who currently used cigarettes and e-cigarettes, the percentage of attempting to quit cigarette smoking in the past year was over 50%.
* among adults who formerly smoked cigarettes and currently used e-cigarettes, the percentage of quitting cigarette smoking for under 1 year or over 1 year was calculated by state.

Main Message: The study highlights the need for continued surveillance of tobacco product use behaviors among U.S. adults and the importance of state-specific monitoring to inform public health policies and programs. The findings indicate that while the prevalence of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use remains relatively stable, e-cigarette use is on the rise. Given the high percentage of current cigarette smoking among e-cigarette users, comprehensive state-based tobacco prevention and control efforts are warranted to reduce the morbidity and mortality attributed to the use of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. The study also underscores the need for adequate cessation services for current cigarette smokers, regardless of whether they also use e-cigarettes.

hu SS, Wang TW, homa DM, Tsai J, Neff L. Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and E-Cigarettes: State-Specific Use Patterns among U.S. adults, 2017-2018. american journal of preventive medicine. 2022;62(6):930-942. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2021.12.014