Reasons for E-cigarette Use, Vaping Patterns, and Cessation Behaviors among US adolescents.

Introduction:
This text summarizes a research study examining the reasons for e-cigarette use among US adolescents and the associations between those reasons and vaping patterns and cessation behaviors. The study utilized data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and performed factor analysis to identify four subscales of reasons for e-cigarette use. The study also analyzed the associations between these subscales and frequent e-cigarette use, dual use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, intention to quit vaping, and past-year quit attempts.

Key Points:

* The study identified four subscales of reasons for e-cigarette use among US adolescents, including replacing cigarettes, product characteristics, family/friend use, and curiosity.
* Curiosity was associated with lower odds of frequent e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, but higher odds of intention to quit and past-year quit attempts.
* Product characteristics were associated with higher odds of frequent e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, but lower odds of intention to quit and past-year quit attempts.
* The study found significant heterogeneity in patterns of vaping reasons by some demographic factors and vaping duration.
* Shorter-term users were more likely to endorse curiosity, while longer-term users were more likely to endorse product characteristics as reasons for use.
* The findings suggest potential benefits of understanding these heterogeneous vaping reasons to design different intervention strategies for different subgroups of youth who vape.
* The study has some limitations, such as self-reported data, potential misinterpretation of survey questions, and the lack of certain covariates in the NYTS data.

Main Message:
The study provides critical evidence for the reasons for e-cigarette use among US adolescents and their associations with vaping patterns and cessation behaviors. The findings may inform the development of tailored interventions and policy strategies to help curb the youth vaping epidemic. The study highlights the importance of addressing the diverse reasons for e-cigarette use, particularly the product characteristics that are associated with more frequent use and dual use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. The study also underscores the need for further research to establish causal inferences and assess the long-term relationship between reasons for vaping and subsequent vaping behaviors.

Lindpere V, Winickoff JP, Khan aS, et al. Reasons for E-cigarette Use, Vaping Patterns, and Cessation Behaviors among US adolescents. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2023;25(5):975-982. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntac278