Electronic Cigarette Use and Its Relationship with Smoking and Alcohol and Illicit Drug Consumption among Romanian University Students

Abstract

Background and objectives: This study assesses electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and its relationship with smoking and alcohol and illicit drug consumption among Romanian university students. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study using anonymous questionnaire was performed in 2017 among 400 university students from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Results: 95.5% of the participants had heard about e-cigarettes and 43.7% of these had tried e-cigarettes during their lifetime, while 8.9% declared using cigarettes in the previous month (one out of five students who had tried them during their lifetime). Half of the students had smoked during their lifetime and one third had smoked in the previous month. Eighty-five percent of participants had experimented alcohol intoxication during their lifetime and 45% had done so in the previous month, while illicit drug use during their lifetime and the previous month was 34% and 9.5%, respectively. The results of the linear regression analyses show a positive correlation between e-cigarette use, smoking, experimentation with alcohol intoxication, and the use of illicit drugs. Conclusions: Future studies as well as educational activities should address the complex relationship between e-cigarette and other substance use among Romanian youth.

Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Students: A Closer Look at Tobacco Use, Cannabis Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics

“…In the Slovak Republic, a significant correlation was more common than in the Czech Republic. This is in line with the finding of Lotrean et al [ 54 ], who used the linear regression analyses and confirmed a positive correlation between e-cigarette use, smoking, experimentation with alcohol intoxication, and the use of illicit drugs among Romanian university students. Thus, it is possible to speak of a comorbidity of other adverse health behaviours, such as smoking and alcohol abuse in university students, as confirmed by Zadarko-Domaradzka et al [ 55 ] in the Carpathian Euroregion.…”

Cigarette Smoking among Medical Students from the Western Balkan

“…The same study suggests that a desire to reduce stress was the main reason for tobacco smoking and that medical faculty curriculum has a positive effect on students to quit smoking [ 30 ]. Similar is stated in the study by Lotrean et al [ 31 ] conducted on Romanian medical students, indicating smoking to be more frequent among younger students and that smoking cessation programs targeting young adults, including education, counseling and support services, have a positive effect on quitting smoking. Conversely, Majra [ 32 ], in a study conducted in India, shows the increase in cigarette consumption among medical students in the course of their studying, The same study indicates that the increase of the prevalence of cigarette smoking is 4.2 times higher in female students compared to male students [ 32 ].…”

Lifestyle and Cancer Prevention—Opinions and Behaviors Among Romanian University Students

“…One hundred students (50 girls, 50 boys) living in the selected dorms were randomly chosen from each university. 24 Students were contacted directly in the dorms by a member of the research team and were informed about the voluntary participation and characteristics of the study. The refusal rate was below 6% and the students who refused to participate were replaced with students from the same university, living in the same dorm.…”

“…The participating students filled in the questionnaires which were collected by members of the research team from each room approximately one hour after their distribution. 24 The study is part of a research project which received the ethical approval of the Ethics Board of University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Cluj-Napoca, Romania.…”