Subjective experiences at e-cigarette initiation: Implications for e-cigarette and dual/poly tobacco use among youth.

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the relationships between subjective experiences (SEs) at e-cigarette initiation and subsequent e-cigarette use behaviors among adolescents. The study uses data from the Texas adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance (TaTaMS) system and employs factor analyses and weighted, multilevel, multivariate regression models to examine the role of SEs at e-cigarette initiation on subsequent past 30-day e-cigarette use behaviors.

Key Points:

* The study identifies a positive (i.e., euphoria, relaxation) and a negative (i.e., dizziness, cough, nausea) domain of SEs at e-cigarette initiation.
* Positive SEs at e-cigarette initiation predict greater odds of subsequent past 30-day e-cigarette use and increased relative risk of dual/poly e-cigarette use.
* The study controls for time-constant covariates such as sex, race/ethnicity, and grade, and applies sampling weights to generalize findings back to the study population.
* attrition analyses reveal no statistical differences between participants with complete data and those removed due to missingness.
* The study finds that adolescents who report greater positive SEs at e-cigarette initiation are more likely to progress to current e-cigarette use and dual/poly use.
* The study underscores the need for greater regulation of e-cigarette product characteristics, such as characterizing flavors and nicotine concentration, to reduce e-cigarette initiation and sustained use.
* The findings have implications for public health research, particularly in exploring similarities and differences in subjective experiences at initiation across tobacco products and e-cigarette device types.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of preventing initial e-cigarette use among adolescents, as positive SEs at e-cigarette initiation significantly predict subsequent e-cigarette use behaviors. The findings underscore the need for regulatory measures, such as restrictions on nicotine concentration and characterizing flavors, to reduce the transition from e-cigarette initiation to sustained use and dual/poly use. The study also emphasizes the significance of school-based programs and concentrated efforts to prevent e-cigarette initiation during adolescence. Overall, the text calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing the public health concerns associated with adolescent e-cigarette use, including nicotine dependence and dual/poly tobacco use.

Mantey DS, Case KR, Chen B, Kelder S, Loukas a, harrell MB. Subjective experiences at e-cigarette initiation: Implications for e-cigarette and dual/poly tobacco use among youth. addictive behaviors. 2021;122:107028. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107028