Tropes

ScienceDaily_2014 18031.txt

#Perceived benefits of electronic cigarettes may lead to higher experimentation ratesdespite years of anti-smoking education and legislation tobacco use still remains an important public health issue in the United states. In 2010 25.2%of all adults and 35.6%of young adults reported current tobacco use. While anti-tobacco efforts continue across the county the introduction of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has been marketed as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes and also as a smoking cessation aid. E-cigarettes supply nicotine through inhaled water vapor. While the addictiveness and long-term effects of using e-cigarettes as a nicotine delivery system are unknown many people anecdotally believe that they are safer than traditional tobacco products. According to a new study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive medicine the belief that e-cigarettes pose less of a health risk may lead to increased experimentation with e-cigarettes among young adults. Investigators from the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health University of Minnesota looked at whether or not there was a relationship between perceived notions about the harmfulness of e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes and subsequent e-cigarette use among young adults. Investigators surveyed 1379 participants from the Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort who had used never e-cigarettes. The initial baseline survey explored their opinions about e-cigarettes and their effect on health relative to cigarettes or their usefulness as an aid to stop smoking. Then a follow-up survey conducted one year later asked participants if they had experimented with e-cigarettes. â#oeparticipants who agreed e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking and those who agreed that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes were more likely than those who did not agree to subsequently report experimenting with e-cigarettes. These associations did not vary by gender or smoking statusâ#says study lead author Kelvin Choi Phd. Specifically the follow-up study found that 7. 4%of participants who had used never an e-cigarette at baseline reported subsequently using an e-cigarette with 21.6%among baseline current smokers 11.9%among baseline former smokers and 2. 9%among baseline nonsmokers reporting use. â#oethe study showed that 2. 9%of baseline nonsmokers in this U S. regional sample of young adults reported ever using e-cigarettes at follow-up suggesting an interest in e-cigarettes among nonsmoking young adultsâ#explains Dr. Choi. â#oethis is problematic because young adults are still developing their tobacco use behaviors and e-cigarettes may introduce young adults to tobacco use or promote dual use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. â#While the risks associated with long-term e-cigarette use are largely unknown recent studies suggest that they can significantly increase plasma nicotine levels which means they are potentially as addictive as cigarettes. â#oethis study also suggested that about 12%of former young adults smokers at baseline were reintroduced to nicotine through e-cigarettes. Future prospective studies including adults of all ages are needed to confirm these finding related to e-cigarette use among nonsmokers and former smokers and to determine the role of e-cigarettes on relapse of smokingâ#adds Dr. Choi. This link between beliefs about e-cigarettes and subsequent experimentation can be used to guide future anti-nicotine and anti-smoking campaigns that encompass the new technology of e-cigarettes. â#oeunderstanding the specific beliefs that predict subsequent e-cigarette experimentation allows us to focus on these beliefs when designing public health messagesâ#concludes Dr. Choi. â#oeresults from this study suggest that messages about the lack of evidence on e-cigarettes being cessation aids and the uncertainty of the risks associated with e-cigarette use may discourage young adults particularly young adult nonsmokers and former smokers from experimenting with e-cigarettes. â#Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Elsevier. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e

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