E-Cigarette Awareness and Perceived Harmfulness

Introduction:
This text is a scientific study on e-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness, and its association with smoking cessation outcomes. The study describes the prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness among U.S. adults and analyzes whether these variables are associated with smokers' past-year quit attempts and intention to quit. The study was conducted using data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 4 Cycle 2), collected from October 2012 to January 2013.

Key points:

* The study found that overall, 77% of respondents were aware of e-cigarettes. Of these, 51% believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes.
* Younger, white, more educated respondents and current or former smokers were more likely to be aware of e-cigarettes.
* Among those who were aware of e-cigarettes, younger, more educated respondents and current smokers were more likely to believe that e-cigarettes were less harmful.
* Awareness and perceived harm were not associated with smokers' past year quit attempts or intention to quit.
* The proportion of smokers who perceived less harm of e-cigarettes declined compared with earlier surveys.
* The study also found that awareness and perceived harm of e-cigarettes did not show evidence of promoting smoking cessation at the population level.

Main message:
The study suggests that while e-cigarette awareness is increasing, it is not necessarily leading to a reduction in smoking or an increase in smoking cessation. The findings highlight the need for further research on the potential benefits and risks of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of regulatory measures to ensure that e-cigarettes are marketed in a way that accurately reflects their potential risks and benefits. Regulatory bodies should consider the findings of studies like this one when developing policies and regulations around e-cigarettes.

Tan, Andy S.L., and Cabral A. Bigman. “E-Cigarette Awareness and Perceived Harmfulness.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 47, no. 2 (August 2014): 141–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.02.011.