E-cigarette Transitions among US Youth and adults: Results from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health Study (2013-2018).

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the evolution of e-cigarette use with cigarette use among youth and adults in the US between 2013 and 2018, using data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) study. The study offers a comprehensive perspective of the trends and transitions in e-cigarette and cigarette use among different age groups.

Key Points:

* E-cigarette use increased among youth but not adults during the study period.
* Younger e-cigarette users were more likely to be never-cigarette smokers, while adult e-cigarette users were mainly cigarette smokers.
* among youth, the proportion of never-cigarette smokers among e-cigarette users more than doubled from W1 to W4 (24.1-51.4%).
* among adults, the proportion of never-cigarette users among e-cigarette users increased from 2.3% in W1 to 6.7% in W4.
* For every three adolescent past-month e-cigarette mono-users in W1 who reported no past-month use of any tobacco in W2 or W3 or W4, there was one who became a cigarette- or dual-user.
* among adults aged 18-24 years, for every two adults who reported no past-month use of any tobacco, about five were cigarette users, and one continued with dual use in W2 or W3 or W4.
* among adults aged 25 years and older, for every one who reported no past-month use of any tobacco, about eight were cigarette users, and one continued with dual-use in W2 or W3 or W4.

Main Message:
The study emphasizes the real-world negative potential of e-cigarettes on young people, highlighting the increasing attraction of e-cigarettes to adolescents who have never smoked cigarettes. This finding raises concerns about the long-term health consequences of e-cigarette use among youth. While e-cigarettes may have potential for harm reduction in adult smokers, the study underscores the need for regulations and policies to limit the negative aspects of e-cigarette promotion, particularly targeted marketing towards vulnerable groups such as youth and young adults.

Osibogun O, Chapman S, Peters M, Bursac Z, Maziak W. E-cigarette Transitions among US Youth and adults: Results from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health Study (2013-2018). Journal of prevention (2022). 2022;43(3):387-405. doi:10.1007/s10935-022-00678-z