Impact of vaping introduction on cigarette smoking in six jurisdictions with varied regulatory approaches to vaping: an interrupted time series analysis.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study that examines the impact of vaping introduction on cigarette smoking in six high-income jurisdictions with varied regulatory approaches to vaping. The study uses an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the impact of vaping introduction on cigarette consumption and smoking prevalence among youths and young adults. The study also adjusts for tobacco tax or cigarette price as a potential confounder.

Key Points:

* The study selected four Canadian provinces, the UK, and australia, which have adopted varied regulatory approaches to vaping.
* The study examines the regulations on vaping products in terms of maximum permissible nicotine content, minimum age for purchase and sales, marketing, and advertisement of the products.
* The study classifies the jurisdictions along the range from 'less restrictive' to 'most restrictive' based on these regulations.
* The study examines the trends in prevalence of current e-cigarette use reported by national surveys in Canada, the UK, and australia from 2012 to 2019.
* The study measures cigarette consumption as the number of legal (non-contraband) cigarette sticks sold or the monetary value of cigarettes consumed per adult (at inflation-adjusted price).
* The study uses prevalence of cigarette smoking between the age of 15 years and 30 years, stratified by sex, as a measure of cigarette smoking among youths and young adults.
* The study conducts sensitivity analysis by examining the relative rate of change in cigarette consumption and in smoking prevalence per year as outcomes and changing the intervention year.
* The study did not involve patients or the public in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of the research.

Main Message:
The study suggests that in environments that enable substitution of cigarettes with e-cigarettes, e-cigarette introduction reduces overall cigarette consumption. Therefore, policies that encourage adults to substitute cigarette smoking with vaping should be considered to reduce cigarette smoking. however, the study also acknowledges that the long-term risks of vaping remain unknown, and further research is needed to establish a link between vaping restrictions and cigarette smoking. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the impact of vaping introduction on cigarette smoking in different regulatory environments, which could inform policy-making and harm reduction strategies.

Wu DC, Essue BM, Jha P. Impact of vaping introduction on cigarette smoking in six jurisdictions with varied regulatory approaches to vaping: an interrupted time series analysis. BMJ open. 2022;12(5):1. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058324