Long-term e-cigarette use and smoking cessation: a longitudinal study with US population

• Published in: Tobacco control Vol. 25; no. Suppl 1; pp. i90 - i95
• Main Authors: Zhuang, Yue-Lin, Cummins, Sharon E, Y Sun, Jessica, Zhu, Shu-Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01-10-2016; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Aged; Cigarette smoking; Cigarettes; Correlation analysis; Demographics; Drug addiction; Drug therapy; Electronic cigarettes; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; FDA approval; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Nicotine; Pharmacology; Polls & surveys; Population; Population studies; Public health; Research Paper; Sampling methods; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation - statistics & numerical data; Smoking Prevention - methods; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; Vaping; Young Adult; England; California; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; Electronic nicotine delivery devices; Public policy; Cessation
• ISSN: 0964-4563; 1468-3318
• DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053096

BackgroundE-cigarettes have grown popular. The most common pattern is dual use with conventional cigarettes. Dual use has raised concerns that it might delay quitting of cigarette smoking. This study examined the relationship between long-term use of e-cigarettes and smoking cessation in a 2-year period.MethodsA nationally representative sample of 2028 US smokers were surveyed in 2012 and 2014. Long-term e-cigarette use was defined as using e-cigarettes at baseline and follow-up. Use of e-cigarettes only at baseline or at follow-up was defined as short-term use. Non-users did not use e-cigarettes at either survey. Quit attempt rates and cessation rates (abstinent for 3 months or longer) were compared across the three groups.ResultsAt 2-year follow-up, 43.7% of baseline dual users were still using e-cigarettes. Long-term e-cigarette users had a higher quit attempt rate than short-term or non-users (72.6% vs 53.8% and 45.5%, respectively), and a higher cessation rate (42.4% vs 14.2% and 15.6%, respectively). The difference in cessation rate between long-term users and non-users remained significant after adjusting for baseline variables, OR=4.1 (95% CI 1.5 to 11.4) as did the difference between long-term users and short-term users, OR=4.8 (95% CI 1.6 to 13.9). The difference in cessation rate between short-term users and non-users was not significant, OR=0.9 (95% CI 0.5 to 1.4). Among those making a quit attempt, use of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid surpassed that of FDA-approved pharmacotherapy.ConclusionsShort-term e-cigarette use was not associated with a lower rate of smoking cessation. Long-term use of e-cigarettes was associated with a higher rate of quitting smoking.