E-cigarettes and non-suicidal self-injury: Prevalence of risk behavior and variation by substance inhaled.

Introduction:
This text presents the results of a study examining the relationship between e-cigarette use and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in a diverse sample of college students. The study also explores the association between NSSI and the use of other substances, such as alcohol, conventional cigarettes, and marijuana.

Key Points:

* The study was based on data collected from the healthy Minds Study (hMS) between Fall 2018 and Spring 2019, with a final sample size of 47,016 weighted observations.
* Participants were asked about their past 12-month history of NSSI, substance use behavior, and psychiatric symptomatology.
* Results showed that students who reported past 12-month NSSI were more likely to screen positive for depression or anxiety compared to those without NSSI.
* Rates of using vaping products, conventional cigarettes, marijuana, or other substances were higher among students with NSSI, even after controlling for potential confounders.
* Students who used ThC-based liquids in their e-cigarettes were more likely to endorse NSSI compared to those who used just flavoring.
* however, students who vaped were less likely to disclose frequent NSSI-related behaviors than their peers who did not vape.
* The study highlights the need for further surveillance and examination of potential sociodeomographic confounders in order to confirm these findings and advance the field of substance use and addiction.

Main Message:
This study provides evidence for an association between past-month NSSI and past 30-day vaping in a sample of young adults. The results suggest that students who use e-cigarettes, especially those who use ThC-based liquids, may be at a greater risk for NSSI behavior. These findings have important implications for clinicians and addiction specialists, as they may assist in enhancing screening instruments to identify college populations at a greater risk for adverse mental health outcomes.

Striley CW, Nutley SK, hoeflich CC. E-cigarettes and non-suicidal self-injury: Prevalence of risk behavior and variation by substance inhaled. Frontiers in psychiatry. 2022;13:911136. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.911136