Characteristics of electronic cigarette user and traditional smokers: 2017 Youth risk behavior surveillance system.

Introduction:
This article summarizes a study that aimed to identify individual characteristics that may be shared between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users and traditional cigarette smokers and to examine unique characteristics of e-cigarette users compared to traditional smokers. The study used data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) every two years to collect health risk behavioral data from 9th- to 12th-grade students attending both private and public schools in the United States.

Key Points:

* The study found that adolescents who used e-cigarettes were more likely to be physically active, take a physical education class, and identify as non-hispanic white compared to non-e-cigarette users.
* E-cigarette users were also more likely to engage in illegal behaviors, such as alcohol consumption, marijuana use, and other illicit drug use.
* Traditional smokers were less likely to participate in sports and take part in physical activity fewer times per unit of time.
* E-cigarette users were more likely to use Facebook two times more than non-users and participate more in risk behaviors, such as violence, sexual behavior, drinking alcohol, using illicit drugs, and smoking.
* The study also found that e-cigarette use is not related with later traditional smoking, but traditional smoking use is not associated with e-cigarette use. Dual users of traditional tobacco products and e-cigarettes are much higher among traditional smokers than e-cigarette users.
* The daily lifestyle factors of adolescent e-cigarette users, both on and off campus, are different from those of traditional cigarette smokers.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of understanding the characteristics of e-cigarette users and traditional smokers among adolescents. The results suggest that targeted prevention programs for e-cigarette use behaviors among adolescents should be incorporated in various school programs, particularly in physical education classes. The study also recommends that specific information addressing the ingredients of e-cigarettes, their harmful effects on health, and their risk for addiction should be added to high school physical education programs. additionally, the study suggests that content about e-cigarette use or interventions to prevent their use presented in early physical education classes may be key in reducing the use of e-cigarettes among U.S. adolescents.

Lee YS, Yang K, Kameg B, Palmer J, Lee h. Characteristics of electronic cigarette user and traditional smokers: 2017 Youth risk behavior surveillance system. Public health nursing (Boston, Mass). 2021;38(6):1030-1038. doi:10.1111/phn.12936