Transitions between tobacco products: Correlates of changes in cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use among exclusive adult smokers and dual users in Mexico.

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the relationship between tobacco product transitions and correlates among smokers and dual users in Mexico. The study uses data from an open cohort of adult current smokers and e-cigarette users who reside in Mexico and were surveyed every four months from November 2018 to April 2021. The analysis includes data from exclusive smokers and dual users who had follow-up data from one survey to the next.

Key Points:

* The study found that most exclusive smokers (81%) remained as such, while 12.6% transitioned to dual use, 2.3% to exclusive e-cigarette use, and 4% quit both products.
* Dual users were more likely to transition to exclusive smoking if they had lower educational attainment, recently attempted to quit e-cigarettes, and had more friends who smoke.
* Social influences, such as having close social network members who use e-cigarettes, play an important role in smoking behavior and transitions.
* The study also notes that e-cigarette bans are common in countries around the world, including Latin America, and that research on e-cigarette use transitions in these countries is lacking.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of understanding tobacco product transitions and correlates among smokers and dual users in Mexico. The findings suggest that social influences, such as having close social network members who use e-cigarettes, play an important role in smoking behavior and transitions. The study also emphasizes the need for research on e-cigarette use transitions in low- and middle-income countries where e-cigarette bans are common, as this information can inform future policy development and interventions to reduce the harms caused by smoking and the use of other tobacco products.

Gallegos-Carrillo K, Barrientos-Gutiérrez I, Arillo-Santillán E, et al. Transitions between tobacco products: Correlates of changes in cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use among exclusive adult smokers and dual users in Mexico. Preventive medicine reports. 2022;29:101869. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101869