Reasons for current E-cigarette use among U.S. adults.
E-cigarette use has increased rapidly among U.S. adults. However, reasons for use among adults are unclear. We assessed reasons for e-cigarette use among a national sample of U.S. adults. Data were collected via online surveys among U.S. adults aged 18 or older from April through June 2014. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to assess reasons for e-cigarette use among 2448 current e-cigarette users, by sociodemographic characteristics and product type. Assessed reasons included cessation/health, consideration of others, convenience, cost, curiosity, flavoring, and simulation of conventional cigarettes. Among current e-cigarette users, 93% were also current cigarette smokers. The most common reasons for e-cigarette use were cessation/health (84.5%), consideration of others (71.5%), and convenience (56.7%). The prevalence of citing convenience (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.49) and curiosity (aPR=1.54) as reasons for e-cigarette use were greater among current cigarette smokers than nonsmokers (P<0.05). The prevalence of citing flavoring as a reason for use was greater among adults aged 18 to 24 (aPR=2.02) than 55 or older (P<0.05). Tank use was associated with greater prevalence of citing every assessed reason except convenience and curiosity. Cessation- and health-related factors are primary reasons cited for e-cigarette use among adults, and flavorings are more commonly cited by younger adults. Efforts are warranted to provide consumers with accurate information on the health effects of e-cigarettes and to ensure that flavoring and other unregulated features do not promote nicotine addiction, particularly among young adults.
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: dpatel3@cdc.gov.
Deesha
D
Patel
Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
Kevin C
KC
Davis
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Shanna
S
Cox
Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
Brian
B
Bradfield
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Brian A
BA
King
Center for Health Policy Science and Tobacco Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States; Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
Paul
P
Shafer
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Ralph
R
Caraballo
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Rebecca
R
Bunnell
D000367:Age Factors; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
Adult; Electronic cigarettes; Nicotine