Alternative Tobacco Product Use and Smoking Quit Attempts Among Teenagers in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Colvette Brown,Ike Okosun,Barbara Yankey,Stanley Nkemjika

doi:10.7759/cureus.16740

Abstract

BackgroundPublic health interventions have heightened awareness of risk factors and ill effects of tobacco use. Though sales of conventional tobacco products have been steadily declining, there is the advent of a new generation of alternative tobacco products marketed with claims of reduced harms and smoking cessation aids. These products are increasing in prevalence and popularity among adolescents.AimThe aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of tobacco quit attempts in adolescents in the United States and examine its relationship to the use and self-reported awareness of two alternative tobacco products: e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs).MethodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis of data (2,271) from the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) of middle and high school students in the United States. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the odds of tobacco quit attempts adjusting for age, race, gender, school type, and household tobacco exposure.ResultsThe overall prevalence of tobacco quit attempts among e-cigarette users and HTP users was 52.50% and 5.20%, respectively. Results of multivariate regression analyses identified age (OR=0.74, 95% CI:0.57-0.96), race (OR=1.41, 95% CI:1.14-1.75), and household tobacco smoke exposure (OR=1.19, 95% CI:1.01-1.39) as the main factors that are significantly associated with tobacco quit attempts adjusting for all other covariates.ConclusionThis study did not show a statistically significant association between the awareness and use of e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products and tobacco smoking quit attempts. Race, age, and exposure to household tobacco smoking were positively associated with quit attempts. Further studies are needed to clarify whether the use and awareness of e-cigarettes and HTPs are associated with tobacco smoking quit attempts within the US adolescent population.

Highlights

Tobacco smoking has led to over 3 million deaths per year worldwide and 400,000 deaths per year in the US alone [1]
Results of multivariate regression analyses identified age (OR=0.74, 95% confidence intervals (CI):0.57-0.96), race (OR=1.41, 95% CI:1.14-1.75), and household tobacco smoke exposure (OR=1.19, 95% CI:1.01-1.39) as the main factors that are significantly associated with tobacco quit attempts adjusting for all other covariates
Marketing expenditures for alternate or non-conventional tobacco products have increased in the past decade [10], which have led to products like electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) increasing prevalence and popularity among smokers [11]

Summary

Introduction

Tobacco smoking has led to over 3 million deaths per year worldwide and 400,000 deaths per year in the US alone [1]. National anti-tobacco campaigns and other impactful public health interventions have led to increased awareness of tobacco smoking's ill effects [5]. Marketing expenditures for alternate or non-conventional tobacco products have increased in the past decade [10], which have led to products like electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) increasing prevalence and popularity among smokers [11]. Though sales of conventional tobacco products have been steadily declining, there is the advent of a new generation of alternative tobacco products marketed with claims of reduced harms and smoking cessation aids. These products are increasing in prevalence and popularity among adolescents

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion