Electronic Cigarette Cessation among Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

Background

E-cigarette use is common among adolescents and young adults, yet little is known about e-cigarette cessation among this group. The current study assessed e-cigarette cessation attempts, interest in e-cigarette cessation, and methods of e-cigarette cessation most favored by young e-cigarette users.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered via Facebook and Instagram between February and April 2019 to enroll current, regular e-cigarette using adolescents and young adults who reported non-regular use of other tobacco products. Participants included 212 (51.4% female) adolescents and young adults (14 to 21 years of age) who reported six or more days of e-cigarette use and less than four days of other tobacco product use in the last 30 days.

Results

More than half (n = 110; 51.9%) of the participants reported at least one past serious e-cigarette quit attempt. Among those, the average number of past quit attempts was 2.9 (SD = 3.9). Of the 157 (74.1%) participants who indicated they were interested in quitting e-cigarettes, 78 (49.7%) endorsed health risks as their primary reason for wanting to quit e-cigarettes. The most frequently endorsed intervention methods to aid in e-cigarette cessation were those delivered via digital methods, such as smartphone apps.

Conclusion

The current study provides preliminary data to support continued development of e-cigarette cessation treatments for adolescents and young adults. Future research should evaluate the potential use of digital methods to aid in e-cigarette cessation.

Keywords:

• E-cigarette
• cessation
• adolescents and youth
• social media
• treatment methods
• intervention

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant through the Brown University Clinical Psychology Internship Research Grant Program from the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University to Lorra Garey.