Summary
Introduction:
This text presents a study on the effects of e-cigarette use on mental health among youths in Canada. The study uses a quasi-experimental design, taking advantage of the minimum legal age (MLa) laws for e-cigarette sales as a natural experiment. The authors aim to measure the causal relationship between e-cigarette use and mental health outcomes in youths.
Key Points:
* The study employs difference-in-differences (DD), difference-in-differences-in-differences (DDD), and two-sample instrumental variables (TSIV) methods.
* Data is collected from nationally representative Canadian Community health Surveys (CChS) from 2008 to 2019 and Canadian Student Tobacco alcohol and Drugs Surveys (CSTaDS) from 2008 to 2019.
* Primary outcomes include self-reported mood and anxiety disorders, while secondary outcomes comprise cannabis use, illicit drug use, cigarette use, and strength of peer relationships at schools.
* The MLa law reduced risks of mood disorders by 1.9 percentage points and anxiety disorders by 3.6 percentage points in the DDD analysis.
* Youths in provinces with MLa laws were less likely to report cannabis use, illicit drug use, and more likely to feel being part of schools.
* TSIV analysis indicates that youth e-cigarette use increased the likelihood of mood and anxiety disorders by 44% and 37%, respectively.
Main Message:
The study emphasizes that the e-cigarette minimum legal age law in Canada has had a positive impact on youth mental health by reducing risks of mood and anxiety disorders, lowering substance use, and improving peer relationships at schools. The findings suggest that youth e-cigarette use increases risks of mental health issues, reinforcing the importance of implementing and enforcing strict regulations on e-cigarette sales and use among minors.
Citation
Nguyen hV, Mital S. Effects of e-cigarette use on mental health among youths: quasi-experimental evidence from Canada. addiction (abingdon, England). 2022;117(10):2673-2682. doi:10.1111/add.15943
