Summary
Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) study to assess the association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking abstinence after two years of follow-up. The study evaluates whether different frequencies of e-cigarette use at Wave 1 are associated with prolonged cigarette abstinence at Waves 2 and 3.
Key Points:
* The study included data from adults age 18 and older who were current cigarette smokers at Wave 1.
* Baseline demographics included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and income as a percentage of the federal poverty level.
* E-cigarette use was assessed by asking participants if they had ever heard of an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette, if they had ever used an e-cigarette, and if they currently use e-cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all.
* abstinence from cigarette smoking was defined as a "no" response to the question "In the past 30 days, have you smoked a cigarette, even one or two puffs?"
* Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between Wave 1 e-cigarette use and follow-up smoking abstinence.
* among all adult current cigarette smokers at Wave 1, the weighted percentage of current e-cigarette use was 22%.
* Current daily e-cigarette use at Wave 1 was associated with higher odds of prolonged cigarette smoking abstinence at both Waves 2 and 3 compared to no current e-cigarette use (11% vs. 6%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.89, p = .02).
* Non-daily e-cigarette use was not significantly associated with prolonged cigarette smoking abstinence.
Main Message:
The study found that daily e-cigarette use, compared to no e-cigarette use, was associated with a 77% increased odds of prolonged cigarette smoking abstinence over the subsequent two years. This suggests that regular use of e-cigarettes may help some smokers to stop smoking combustible cigarettes. however, further research is needed to better define the potential public health benefits and risks of e-cigarette use.
Citation
Kalkhoran S, Chang Y, Rigotti Na. Electronic Cigarette Use and Cigarette abstinence Over 2 Years among U.S. Smokers in the Population assessment of Tobacco and health Study. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2020;22(5):728-733. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntz114
