Abstract
BackgroundE-cigarettes have grown in popularity around the world since 2003. Although marketed as a smoking cessation tool, e-cigarettes can lead to tobacco cigarette smoking in youth. In Canada, among all age groups, youth and young adults have the highest prevalence of e-cigarette use. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with e-cigarette use among youth and young adults in Canada, and to specifically examine the association between alcohol, marijuana and illicit drug use.MethodsData from the 2017 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey were used. The sample was restricted to those aged 15–24 years (n = 10,322), and main outcome defined as ‘E-cigarette use in the past 30-days’. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association between the main outcome and substance use variables (illicit drug, marijuana and alcohol use), tobacco exposure variables, and demographic and health-related factors.Results6.2% Canadians aged 15–24 reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30-days, while 23.9% reported having ever tried e-cigarettes. Twenty-three percent of the past 30-day users reported using e-cigarettes every day and 72.5% of the past 30-day users reported having nicotine in their last e-cigarette. Additionally, youth aged 15–17 were 4.95 times more likely to be e-cigarette users as compared to those aged 22–24 (OR: 4.95, 95% CI: 3.1–7.9). Moreover, e-cigarette use was significantly associated with marijuana use (OR:4.17, 95% CI: 2.6–6.7) and alcohol use (OR: 5.08, 95% CI: 2.9–9.0), and approached significance with illicit drug use (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.0–2.9). Furthermore, being a current smoker (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.8–4.7) and male (OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.5–3.4) was significantly associated with the outcome.ConclusionThis study is nationally representative and provides insight into e-cigarette use among youth and young adults aged 15–24 years. Given that e-cigarettes can be used as illicit drug delivery systems, more studies are needed to understand how Canadian youth and young adults are using e-cigarettes. Stricter restrictions on public e-cigarette smoking, and awareness campaigns informing youth of risks of e-cigarette smoking should be implemented.
Highlights
E-cigarettes have grown in popularity around the world since 2003
Some of the main reasons for using e-cigarettes in the past 30-days included, “They come in flavors I like” (63.5% past 30-day users and 42.4% ever users), “Curious- want to know how it tastes” (57.7% past 30-day users and 75.5% in ever users), “Ecigarettes are more acceptable to non-tobacco users” (44.9% in past 30-day users and 29.2% in ever users), “They might be less harmful to people around me than cigarettes” (54.8% in past 30-day users and 33.3% in ever users), and “They might be less harmful to me than smoking cigarettes” (54.0% in past 30-day users and 32.8% in ever users)
The results of this study further elucidate patterns and risk factors before the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) was introduced into legislation, allowing for an accurate baseline which can be used for future studies
Summary
E-cigarettes have grown in popularity around the world since 2003. marketed as a smoking cessation tool, e-cigarettes can lead to tobacco cigarette smoking in youth. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with e-cigarette use among youth and young adults in Canada, and to examine the association between alcohol, marijuana and illicit drug use. Since their invention in 2003, electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, vapes and vape pens, have consistently grown in popularity across the globe [1]. Some studies report the use of e-cigarettes as an effective smoking cessation tool, whereas others argue that it can lead to the introduction of tobacco cigarette smoking [6, 7, 9]. A study conducted by Breitbarth (2018) utilizing online illicit drug forums reported that many illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, have the potential to be vaporized via an e-cigarette, a practice gaining traction among drug users [5]
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