Abstract
E-cigarettes are widely advertised, while the potential risks of e-cigarette use have been reported among adolescents. This study assessed online e-cigarette information exposure and its association with adolescents’ e-cigarette use in Shanghai, China. A total of 12,470 students aged 13–18 years participated. A questionnaire collected information on students’ sociodemographic factors, e-cigarette information exposure, cigarette use, e-cigarette use, and e-cigarette use intention. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess correlates of exposure to e-cigarette information and the association between e-cigarette information exposure and e-cigarette use. Overall, 73.9% of students knew about e-cigarettes and the primary sources of information were the internet (42.4%), movies/TV (36.4%), bulletin boards in retail stores or supermarkets (34.9%), advertising flyers (33.9%), and friends (13.8%). Students who had friends using e-cigarettes were curious about e-cigarettes and showed a greater monthly allowance; smokers and females were at a higher risk of social media and website exposure. Moreover, online information exposure (social media exposure, website exposure, and total internet exposure) was significantly associated with the intention to use e-cigarettes. The enforcement of regulations on online e-cigarette content should be implemented. Moreover, efforts to prevent young people from using e-cigarettes may benefit from targeting students at a higher risk of online e-cigarette information exposure.
Highlights
Received: 28 January 2022The trend of tobacco purchasing and usage has gradually changed since the introduction of electronic nicotine delivery systems into the market in the mid-2000s [1]
It was reported that, in China, traditional cigarette smoking had decreased in adolescents, the rate of current e-cigarette use increased from 1.2% in 2014 to 2.7% in 2019 among junior high school students, and that of senior high school students had increased by a rate of 3.0% by
This study only focused on whether students were exposed to e-cigarette information; more factors could be explored in future studies—for example, the measurement of media use
Summary
Received: 28 January 2022The trend of tobacco purchasing and usage has gradually changed since the introduction of electronic nicotine delivery systems into the market in the mid-2000s [1]. In the United States, there was a considerable increase in current e-cigarette use among junior and senior high school students, from 0.6% and 1.5%. It was reported that, in China, traditional cigarette smoking had decreased in adolescents, the rate of current e-cigarette use increased from 1.2% in 2014 to 2.7% in 2019 among junior high school students, and that of senior high school students had increased by a rate of 3.0% by. The potentially harmful consequences of using e-cigarettes among adolescents are of great concern, which include respiratory and cardiovascular injury, nicotine addiction, neurotoxicity towards the developing brain, psychological disorders, subsequent tobacco use, etc. One study analyzing the content of Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer websites showed that health benefits (89%), no secondhand smoke exposure
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