| Title: | Worrying changes in adolescent e-cigarette use 2014-2019: A secondary analysis of five Irish health datasets |
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| Author(s): | Joan Hanafin Salome Sunday Sheila Keogan Luke Clancy |
| Institution: | TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland |
| Poster: | Click to view poster |
| Category: | General Respiratory and Sleep |
| Abstract: | E-cigarette use is increasing worldwide. Concerns about adolescent use include harms (known and unknown), nicotine addiction, and as a “gateway” drug. Secondary analysis was carried out on five Irish health datasets, with questions on adolescent e-cigarette, all stratified random samples in school-based settings: ECIGS-TFRI 2014 (N=817), ESPAD-TFRI 2015 (N=1508), SILNE-R-TFRI 2016 (N=2051), GUI 2017 (N=6216), ESPAD-TFRI 2019 (N=3556). We report on 16 and 17 year olds. Descriptive statistical techniques were used to estimate changes in prevalence, reasons for trying e-cigarettes, and relationship with tobacco at first use. Prevalence of ever-use increased from 23% in 2014 to 39% in 2019, representing a rapid increase, particularly since 2016. Curiosity (66%) and friends (29%) are now the two main reasons adolescents use e-cigarettes. Those saying they had never used tobacco when they first tried e-cigarettes increased from 32% in 2015 to 68% in 2019. E-cigarette use has risen rapidly among adolescents in Ireland since 2014. E-cigarettes are not used by adolescents for smoking cessation. The majority of adolescents who use e-cigarettes were not smokers when they started using e-cigarettes, pointing to a worrying new route into nicotine addiction. Current tobacco control regulations for young people should be extended to include e-cigarettes. References: Electronic cigarette use among Irish youth: A cross sectional study of prevalence and associated factors. Babineau K, Taylor K, Clancy L (2015). PLoS ONE 10(5): e0126419. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126419 E-cigarettes: effective cessation tools or public health threat? Clancy L and Babineau K (2016). QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 109(2): Changes in 16 year olds n (%) 17 year olds n (%) Prevalence of e-cigarette ever-use ESPAD-TFRI 2019 754 (38.8) 279 (37.5) GUI 2017 1564 (31.3) SILNE-R-TFRI 2016 148 (31.8) 85 (50.0) ESPAD-TFRI 2015 252 (24.2) 98 (26.3) ECIGS-TFRI 2014 77 (25.7) 101 (23.0) Reasons for trying e-cigarettes ESPAD-TFRI 2019 To quit smoking Because friends were using it Out of curiosity 16 (3.4) 137 (28.8) 315 (66.3) 14 (5.0) 83 (29.8) 187 (67.0) ESPAD-TFRI 2015 To quit smoking As an alternative to tobacco smoking Because friends were using it Out of curiosity 48 (19.2) 27 (10.8) 57 (22.8) 151 (60.4) 15 (15.5) 9 (9.3) 25 (25.8) 64 (66.0) Relationship with Tobacco when first tried e-cigarettes ESPAD-TFRI 2019 I have never smoked tobacco I smoked tobacco occasionally I smoke tobacco regularly 461 (66.7) 168 (24.3) 57 (8.9) 149 (58.7) 83 (32.7) 22 (8.7) SILNE-R-TFRI 2016 I have never smoked tobacco I have tried tobacco but don’t use it regularly I smoked tobacco occasionally/regularly 10 (19.6) 0 (0.0) - 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) ESPAD-TFRI 2015 I have never smoked tobacco I smoked tobacco occasionally I smoke tobacco regularly 76 (32.2) 123 (52.1) 37 (15.7) 31 (34.1) 42 (46.1) 18 (19.8) Table 1. Changes among Irish 16 and 17 year olds between 2014 and 2019 in prevalence of e-cigarette ever-use, reasons for trying e-cigarettes, and relationship with tobacco when first trying e-cigarettes Figure 1: Trend of e-cigarette prevalence between 2014 and 2019 Conflicts of interest: None |
