Abstract
INTRODUCTIONThe prevalence of adolescent e-cigarette use has increased markedly in recent years. Specifically, the prevalence of e-cigarette use over the past 30 days was higher than the prevalence of use of other tobacco products. However, there is no definitive data on e-cigarette use among adolescents, including a description of how e-cigarette use is part of a more widespread pattern of substance abuse. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of e-cigarette use in combination with tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana, and the risk of polysubstance use among a sample of Thai adolescents, analyzed by sociodemographic characteristics.METHODSData were extracted from the Bangkok Behavioral Surveillance Survey (BBSS) cross-sectional survey conducted in 2019. The survey used self-reports from a sample of adolescents aged 14–17 years in Bangkok (n=6167). Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the status of poly drug use in combination with e-cigarettes.RESULTSIn all, 6.8% of adolescents in this sample reported having used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. Among the students who used e-cigarettes, the majority (72.0%) reported using other substances along with e-cigarettes, and alcohol was the most common addictive substance used in combination with e-cigarette use. The use of e-cigarettes only and e-cigarettes in combination with other addictive substances (compared to the non-e-cigarette group) tended to be higher among male students, having low academic achievement, having a friend who smokes, being persuaded by a close friend, having ever had sex (OR: 1.48–3.70), and having close friends who drink alcohol (vs none) (OR=3.26).CONCLUSIONSPolysubstance use is highly prevalent among adolescents who use e-cigarettes. There should be extensive screening for e-cigarette consumption, including use of other addictive substances, especially alcohol. Early and comprehensive prevention efforts to reduce the use of e-cigarettes and other addictive substances can have a huge impact on the health of the adolescent population.
Highlights
The prevalence of adolescent e-cigarette use has increased markedly in recent years
This study found that the majority of adolescents who use e-cigarettes are polysubstance users
Several sociodemographic factors were analyzed that were associated with an increased likelihood of polysubstance use and e-cigarette use
Summary
The prevalence of adolescent e-cigarette use has increased markedly in recent years. the prevalence of e-cigarette use over the past 30 days was higher than the prevalence of use of other tobacco products. In less than ten years since e-cigarettes were introduced, e-cigarettes have become the most commonly used tobacco product among adolescents in many countries, including Thailand which is experiencing increased use of e-cigarettes among youth. A number of factors have contributed to the increase in e-cigarette use, including flavors that attract youth, and innovative delivery mechanisms and accessories[4,5]. This has led to the widespread use of e-cigarettes and the popularity of the product among US youth. The use of fruitflavored e-cigarettes was common among e-cigarette users in 2020, the findings from studies in the US highlight the prominence of menthol e-cigarette use, which accounted for nearly half of flavored, prefilled pod or cartridge users and a quarter of flavored disposable product users[8,9]
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