Public Support for Electronic Cigarette Regulation in Hong Kong: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Yee Tak Derek Cheung,Nan Jiang,Tai Hing Lam,Antonio Kwong,Vienna Lai,Man Ping Wang,Sai Yin Ho

doi:10.3390/ijerph14070709

Abstract

This study aimed to gauge the Hong Kong’s public support towards new e-cigarette regulation, and examine the associated factors of the support. We conducted a two-stage, randomized cross-sectional telephone-based survey to assess the public support towards the banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement, its use in smoke-free venues, the sale to people aged under 18, and regulating the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes. Adults (aged 15 years or above) who were never smoking (n = 1706), ex-smoking (n = 1712) or currently smoking (n = 1834) were included. Over half (57.8%) supported all the four regulations. Banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement (71.7%) received slightly less support than the other three regulations (banning of e-cigarette use in smoke-free venues (81.5%); banning of e-cigarette sale to minors (93.9%); sale restriction of nicotine-free e-cigarettes (80.9%)). Current smokers, and perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes or not knowing the harmfulness, were associated with a lower level of support. Our findings showed a strong public support for further regulation of e-cigarettes in Hong Kong. Current stringent measures on tobacco and e-cigarettes, and media reports on the harmfulness of e-cigarettes may underpin the strong support for the regulation.

Highlights

Electronic nicotine delivery systems, or e-cigarettes, have been advertised as smoking cessation tools in some countries [1,2]
Some laboratory studies showed that the aerosol emits lower amounts of harmful substances than traditional cigarettes [10,11]
This study aimed to assess the public support for e-cigarette regulation, and factors associated with the support among a large sample of Hong Kong adults

Summary

Introduction

Electronic nicotine delivery systems, or e-cigarettes, have been advertised as smoking cessation tools in some countries [1,2]. A few randomized trials on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation have been done [3,4], and there has been no evidence that e-cigarettes have greater effectiveness than nicotine replacement therapy [5,6]. Several studies suggested that the effectiveness increased when liquid-refillable e-cigarettes are used [7,8], used daily [7], or used in a less restrictive e-cigarette regulatory environment [9]. Based on the existing evidence, e-cigarettes are suggested as cessation aids by some public health experts, especially when the first-line cessation medications fail to increase abstinence [12].

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