title: Has growth in electronic cigarette use by smokers been responsible for the decline in use of licensed nicotine products? Findings from repeated cross-sectional surveys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rise in electronic cigarette use by smokers may be responsible for the decreased use of licensed nicotine products and/or increased overall use of non-tobacco nicotine-containing products. This paper reports findings from the Smoking Toolkit Study (STS) tracking use of electronic cigarettes and licensed nicotine products to address this issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from monthly surveys involving 14 502 cigarette smokers in England between March 2011 and November 2014. Smokers were asked about their use of electronic cigarettes and licensed nicotine products.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of electronic cigarette use increased rapidly from 2.2% (95% CI 1.4% to 3.2%) in quarter 2 of 2011 to 20.8% (95% CI 18.3% to 23.4%) in quarter 3 of 2013, after which there was no change. Prevalence of licensed nicotine product use in smokers remained stable from quarter 2 of 2011 (17.4%, 95% CI 15.3% to 19.8%) to quarter 3 of 2013 (17.9%, 95% CI 15.62% to 20.5%), and thereafter declined steadily to 7.9% (95% CI 6.0% to 10.4%). Prevalence of use of any product was stable to quarter 1 of 2012, after which it increased from 18.5% (95% CI 16.3% to 21.0%) to 33.3% (95% CI 30.4% to 36.3%) in quarter 3 of 2013, and then decreased to 22.7% (95% CI 19.3% to 26.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The shapes of trajectories since 2011 suggest that electronic cigarettes are probably not responsible for the decline in use of licensed nicotine products. Electronic cigarettes appear to have increased the total market for use of non-tobacco nicotine-containing products.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, UK Research Department of Educational, Clinical and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, UK Research Department of Educational, Clinical and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Educational, Clinical and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michie
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Tobacco and the lung