title: Use of electronic cigarettes among state tobacco cessation quitline callers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among tobacco users who seek help from state tobacco quitlines, the reasons for its use, and whether e-cigarettes impact a user's ability to successfully quit tobacco. This study investigates these questions and describes differences among state quitline callers who used e-cigarettes for 1 month or more, used e-cigarettes for less than 1 month, or never tried e-cigarettes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on e-cigarette use were collected from 2,758 callers to 6 state tobacco quitlines 7 months after they received intervention from the quitline program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly one third (30.9%) of respondents reported ever using or trying e-cigarettes; most used for a short period of time (61.7% for less than 1 month). The most frequently reported reasons for use were to help quit other tobacco (51.3%) or to replace other tobacco (15.2%). Both e-cigarette user groups were significantly less likely to be tobacco abstinent at the 7-month survey compared with participants who had never tried e-cigarettes (30-day point prevalence quit rates: 21.7% and 16.6% vs. 31.3%, p < .001). Demographic differences between the 3 groups are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study offers a preliminary look at e-cigarette use among state quitline callers and is perhaps the first to describe e-cigarette use in a large group of tobacco users seeking treatment. The notable rates of e-cigarette use and use of e-cigarettes as cessation aids, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved e-cigarettes for this purpose, should inform policy and treatment discussions on this topic.
authors: Research, Training and Evaluation Services, Alere Wellbeing, Seattle, WA.
authors: Katrina A
authors: KA
authors: Vickerman
authors: Kelly M
authors: KM
authors: Carpenter
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Altman
authors: Chelsea M
authors: CM
authors: Nash
authors: Susan M
authors: SM
authors: Zbikowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004581:Electronics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D055815:Young Adult