Prevalence and correlates of internet cigarette purchasing among adult smokers in New Jersey.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence and correlates of internet cigarette purchasing among adult smokers.


METHODS
Analysis of internet purchasing in data from a population based telephone survey of New Jersey households. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with internet cigarette purchasing, adjusting for year, demographic, and smoking behaviour variables.


METHODS
3447 current cigarette smokers pooled from three cross sectional surveys conducted in 2000, 2001, and 2002.


METHODS
Ever purchasing tobacco and usually buying cigarettes via the internet.


RESULTS
Among all current cigarette smokers, ever having purchased tobacco via the internet increased from 1.1% in 2000 to 6.7% in 2002 and usually buying cigarettes via the internet increased from 0.8% in 2000 to 3.1% in 2002. Among current cigarette smokers with internet access, ever having purchased tobacco via the internet was higher among those who reported smoking 31 or more cigarettes per day (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 10.2) and those without a past year quit attempt (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.0). Usually purchasing cigarettes via the internet was higher among those aged 45-64 years (adjusted OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 17.1) and who reported having their first cigarette < or = 30 minutes after waking (adjusted OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 9.2).


CONCLUSIONS
Although higher prices are known to reduce the demand for cigarettes, internet cigarette purchasing is likely to weaken this effect, particularly among heavy, more dependent smokers who are less interested in quitting.
Hrywna
M
M
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Public Health, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. hrywnama@umdnj.edu
Delnevo
C D
CD
Staniewska
D
D
D000328:Adult; D003132:Commerce; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics*