Perceived Harm, Addictiveness, and Social Acceptability of Tobacco Products and Marijuana Among Young Adults: Marijuana, Hookah, and Electronic Cigarettes Win

Abstract

Background There has been an increase in non-daily smoking, alternative tobacco product and marijuana use among young adults in recent years. Objectives This study examined perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of cigarettes, cigar products, smokeless tobacco, hookah, electronic cigarettes, and marijuana among young adults and correlates of such perceptions. Methods In Spring 2013, 10,000 students at two universities in the Southeastern United States were recruited to complete an online survey (2,002 respondents), assessing personal, parental, and peer use of each product; and perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of each of these products. Results Marijuana was the most commonly used product in the past month (19.2%), with hookah being the second most commonly used (16.4%). The least commonly used were smokeless tobacco products (2.6%) and electronic cigarettes (4.5%). There were high rates of concurrent product use, particularly among electronic cigarette users. The most positively perceived was marijuana, with hookah and electronic cigarettes being second. While tobacco use and related social factors, related positively, influenced perceptions of marijuana, marijuana use and related social factors were not associated with perceptions of any tobacco product. Conclusions/Importance Marketing efforts to promote electronic cigarettes and hookah to be safe and socially acceptable seem to be effective, while policy changes seem to be altering perceptions of marijuana and related social norms. Research is needed to document the health risks and addictive nature of emerging tobacco products and marijuana and evaluate efforts to communicate such risks to youth.

Traversing the triangulum: the intersection of tobacco, legalised marijuana and electronic vaporisers in Denver, Colorado: Table 1

“…10 Referred to as 'the triangulum' (Latin for triangle), this approach reflects interest in the intersection of tobacco, marijuana and electronic vaporiser use, with implications for surveillance (eg, evaluating tobacco and marijuana use, product taxonomies), policy (eg, smoke-free policies related to marijuana and e-cigarettes) 11 12 and treatment (eg, effects of dual use on cessation). 13 Several quantitative studies examined some aspects of the triangulum, including co-use of combustible tobacco and marijuana, 14 perceptions of comparative harm of tobacco and marijuana, 15 prevalence of vaporiser use among marijuana users 16 17 and reasons for use of marijuana vaporisers. 17 18 Two qualitative studies examined the intersection of tobacco and marijuana by interviewing youth in Scotland.…”

The impact of a brief cessation induction intervention for waterpipe tobacco smoking: A pilot randomized clinical trial

“…This increase in WP use is concerning because WP is one of the most frequently tried tobacco products among young adults (Berg et al, 2015; Gilreath et al, 2016) and WP smokers are exposed to much higher levels of the same toxicants present in combustible cigarette smoke (C. Cobb et al, 2010; Maziak et al, 2009; Shihadeh & Saleh, 2005).…”

Tobacco Marketing, E-cigarette Susceptibility, and Perceptions among Adults

“…8 One important source for consumers seeking information regarding EC are marketing materials which commonly promote EC as healthier and safer alternatives to CC. 9,10 Better understanding of how tobacco product marketing influences EC use is essential to inform public health and policy efforts to mitigate tobacco product burden on public health.…”