e-Cigarette awareness, use, and harm perceptions in US adults.
OBJECTIVE
We estimated e-cigarette (electronic nicotine delivery system) awareness, use, and harm perceptions among US adults.


METHODS
We drew data from 2 surveys conducted in 2010: a national online study (n = 2649) and the Legacy Longitudinal Smoker Cohort (n = 3658). We used multivariable models to examine e-cigarette awareness, use, and harm perceptions.


RESULTS
In the online survey, 40.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 37.3, 43.1) had heard of e-cigarettes, with awareness highest among current smokers. Utilization was higher among current smokers (11.4%; 95% CI = 9.3, 14.0) than in the total population (3.4%; 95% CI = 2.6, 4.2), with 2.0% (95% CI = 1.0, 3.8) of former smokers and 0.8% (95% CI = 0.35, 1.7) of never-smokers ever using e-cigarettes. In both surveys, non-Hispanic Whites, current smokers, young adults, and those with at least a high-school diploma were most likely to perceive e-cigarettes as less harmful than regular cigarettes.


CONCLUSIONS
Awareness of e-cigarettes is high, and use among current and former smokers is evident. We recommend product regulation and careful surveillance to monitor public health impact and emerging utilization patterns, and to ascertain why, how, and under what conditions e-cigarettes are being used.
The Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Legacy, Washington, DC 20036, USA. jpearson@legacyforhealth.org
Jennifer L
JL
Pearson
Amanda
A
Richardson
Raymond S
RS
Niaura
Donna M
DM
Vallone
David B
DB
Abrams
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
D009538:Nicotine