E-cigarette Promotions boost First-time Adolescent Use in the US
Wang Y, Duan Z, Weaver SR, et al. Association of e-Cigarette Advertising, Parental Influence, and Peer Influence with US Adolescent e-Cigarette Use. JAMA Netw Open. 29 Sept 2022;5(9):e2233938. This cohort study of an average of 10,000 adolescents in each wave used data from waves 4 (December 2016 to January 2018), 4.5 (December 2017 to December 2018), and 5 (December 2018 to November 2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study…. More than 60% of adolescents reported past 30-day e-cigarette advertising exposure” in each of the three surveys. “Among adolescents who had never used e-cigarettes, those who reported e-cigarette advertising exposure were more likely to feel curious about using e-cigarettes (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.56 [95% CI, 1.43-1.70]) and were more likely to become ever e-cigarette users (aOR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.05-1.41]) and current e-cigarette users (aOR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.16-1.75]) at follow-up. Adolescents who reported having best friends using e-cigarettes were more likely to feel curious about using e-cigarettes (eg, all best friends: aOR, 4.13 [95% CI, 2.35-7.26]) and initiate e-cigarette use at follow-up (eg, among adolescents reporting all best friends use e-cigarettes, risk of ever use: aOR, 4.08 [95% CI, 1.44-11.59]; risk of current use aOR, 5.42 [95% CI, 1.49-19.72]) than adolescents who reported having no best friends using e-cigarettes.”
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2796834
“This cohort study of US adolescents found that e-cigarette advertising and peer influence were significantly associated with e-cigarette initiation. Efforts to address youth vaping need to consider peer influence and incorporate measures reducing e-cigarette advertising exposure.”
Stephen Hamann