Changes in use of cigarettes and non-cigarette alternative products among college students. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Loukas, Alexandra; Batanova, Milena; Fernandez, Alejandra; Agarwal, Deepti
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 49(2015)
• Page Start: 46
• Page End: 51
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Cigars -- Chewing tobacco -- Electronic nicotine delivery systems -- Hookah -- Non-cigarette alternatives; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.05.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The present study examined change in use of various smoked and smokeless non-cigarette alternative products in a sample of college students, stratified by current, or past 30-day, cigarette smoking status. Methods: Participants were 698 students from seven four-year colleges in Texas. Participants completed two waves of online surveys regarding tobacco use, knowledge, and attitudes, with 14 months between each wave. Results: The most prevalent products used by the entire sample at Wave 1 were cigarettes, followed by hookah, cigars/cigarillos/little cigars, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). At Wave 2, prevalence of e-cigarette use surpassed use of cigars/cigarillos/little cigars. Snus and chew/snuff/dip were relatively uncommon at both waves. Examination of change in use indicated that e-cigarette use increased across time among both current cigarette smokers and non-cigarette smokers. Prevalence of current e-cigarette use doubled across the 14-month period to 25% among current smokers and tripled to 3% among non-cigarette smokers. Hookah use also increased across time, but only among non-cigarette smokers, whereas it decreased among current cigarette smokers. Use of all other non-cigarette alternatives remained unchanged across time. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the socio-demographic predictors of Wave 2 e-cigarette use, the only product that increased in use among both current cigarette smokers and non-cigarette smokers. Results indicated that Wave 1 current cigarette use and Wave 1 current e-cigarette use, but not gender, age, or race/ethnicity, were significantly associated with Wave 2 e-cigarette use. Conclusions: Findings underscore the need to track changes in the use of non-cigarette alternatives and call for additional research examining the factors contributing to change in use. Highlights: E-cigarette use increased to 25% among cigarette smokers and 3% for non-smokers. Cigarette smokers were 8.5 times more likely than non-smokers to use e-cigarettes. Hookah use increased among non-cigarette smokers, but declined among smokers.