title: Flavorings and Perceived Harm and Addictiveness of E-cigarettes among Youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the increasing trend in use of electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes") among youth, it is crucial to understand how these products are perceived and how these perceptions are associated with their decision whether or not to use them.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from a rapid response surveillance system of 6th, 8th and 10th grade students' tobacco use behaviors (sample [n] = 3704 from a population of students [N] = 434,601). We used weighted logistic regression models to investigate the relationship between perceptions of harm and addictiveness and e-cigarette use, including the use of flavored and non-flavored e-cigarettes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to youth who did not use e-cigarettes, ever and current e-cigarette users had higher odds of reporting that e-cigarettes were "not at all harmful" to health and "not at all addictive." Ever and current e-cigarette users had higher odds of reporting that flavored e-cigarettes were "less harmful" than non-flavored e-cigarettes, compared to youth who did not use e-cigarettes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings warrant attention given that nicotine is an addictive substance whose effects on the adolescent brain are potentially negative. Youth e-cigarette users perceived lower harm from flavored e-cigarettes, which is worrisome given emerging research documenting harmful constituents in certain e-cigarette flavorings.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Melissa B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Harrell
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delk
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, TX.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Perry
keywords: adolescents; e-cigarettes; risk perceptions