Smoking Intention and Progression From E-Cigarette Use to Cigarette Smoking.

Introduction:
This abstract presents a study on the prospective association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and cigarette smoking among adolescents, with a focus on the role of smoking intention. The study aims to determine whether the association between e-cigarette use and future cigarette smoking differs based on adolescents' intentions to smoke cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The study uses data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) Study, a nationally representative prospective cohort study of tobacco use in the US.
* The study found that both smoking intention and ever using e-cigarettes at wave 2 were positively associated with cigarette smoking at wave 3.
* The interaction between smoking intention and ever using e-cigarettes was significant, indicating that the association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking is dependent on smoking intention status.
* among adolescents who had expressed intention to smoke conventional cigarettes at wave 2, the odds of cigarette smoking at wave 3 did not significantly differ for e-cigarette users and never e-cigarette users.
* among adolescents who had no intention to smoke at wave 2, e-cigarette users, compared with never e-cigarette users, had 4 times the odds of cigarette smoking.
* The study suggests that e-cigarette use may create intention to smoke and/or nicotine use disorder that leads to onset of cigarette smoking.

Main Message:
The main message of this study is that e-cigarette use is associated with increased odds of cigarette smoking among adolescents who had no previous smoking intention. This finding highlights the importance of preventing e-cigarette use among adolescents, as it may serve as a gateway to conventional cigarette smoking. The study also underscores the need for further research on the mechanisms underlying the association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking, particularly in the context of smoking intention. Overall, the study provides valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers working to address the public health impact of e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Owotomo O, Stritzel h, McCabe SE, Boyd CJ, Maslowsky J. Smoking Intention and Progression From E-Cigarette Use to Cigarette Smoking. Pediatrics. 2020;146(6). doi:10.1542/peds.2020-002881