Summary
Introduction:
This text is a scientific article that examines alternative e-cigarette use behaviors, such as dripping and vape tricks, among adolescents. The article provides information on the frequency of these behaviors, the product characteristics used, and where adolescents learn about these behaviors. The authors also assess demographic and tobacco use predictors of engaging in these behaviors.
Key Points:
* The study was conducted using cross-sectional surveys from 4 high schools in Connecticut in 2017, with a total of 2945 participants.
* among ever e-cigarette users (N=1047), 20.5% ever dripped and 54.9% ever conducted vape tricks.
* The most frequently endorsed flavors used for both behaviors were fruit, candy, and mint. The top nicotine concentrations used for dripping was 3mg and for vape tricks was 0mg. The top source for learning these behaviors was friends.
* Earlier age of e-cigarette use onset, past-month-use of e-cigarettes, and lifetime use of other tobacco products were associated with dripping and vape tricks.
Main Message:
The study found that engaging in dripping and vape tricks was associated with risky tobacco use behaviors, such as earlier age of onset and other tobacco use. These behaviors also involved exposure to nicotine and flavors. The authors suggest that reducing the appeal of dripping and vape tricks and preventing product characteristics that facilitate these behaviors may reduce harm to adolescents. The study highlights the importance of regulating e-cigarettes as a tobacco product and educating the public to prevent adolescent e-cigarette use.
Citation
Kong G, Morean ME, Bold KW, et al. Dripping and vape tricks: alternative e-cigarette use behaviors among adolescents. addictive behaviors. 2020;107:106394. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106394
