Summary
Introduction:
This text presents the findings of a cohort study examining the association between electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use and changes in cigarette smoking behavior among young adult ever smokers in the US. The study used data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) Study and employed propensity score matching to control for potential confounding factors.
Key Points:
* The study included 1096 young adult ever smokers who were ENDS naive at wave 1 and participated in wave 2 and wave 3 of the PaTh Study.
* Propensity score matching was used to match participants on wave 1 risk factors for ENDS use at wave 2, and the changes in smoking behavior between wave 2 and wave 3 were assessed using the matched sample.
* The study defined the main outcomes as changes in cigarette smoking behavior between wave 2 and wave 3, measured using two measures: change in smoking frequency and change in smoking intensity.
* The analytic sample was selected using multiple variables based on peer-reviewed literature supporting associations with ENDS use.
* The exposure variables included never ENDS use, any previous 30-day ENDS use, 1 to 5 days of ENDS use in the previous 30 days, and 6 or more days ENDS use in the previous 30 days at wave 2.
* after propensity score matching, no statistically significant associations were observed between any definition of wave 2 ENDS use and changes in either the frequency or intensity of smoking at wave 3.
Main Message:
The study found that in a cohort of young adult ever smokers, ENDS use was not associated with an increase or decrease in cigarette smoking frequency or intensity during a one-year period. These findings suggest that new ENDS use among young adult cigarette smokers may not be associated with changes in cigarette smoking behavior. however, the authors note that the rapidly evolving marketplace of vaping products may lead to different trajectories of young adult cigarette and ENDS use in the future.
Citation
Pearson JL, Sharma E, Rui N, et al. association of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Use With Cigarette Smoking Progression or Reduction among Young adults. JaMa network open. 2020;3(11):1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15893
