The Relation between Frequency of E-Cigarette Use and Frequency and Intensity of Cigarette Smoking among South Korean Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of adolescent electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased in most countries. This study aims to determine the relation between the frequency of e-cigarette use and the frequency and intensity of cigarette smoking. Additionally, the study evaluates the association between the reasons for e-cigarette use and the frequency of its use. Materials and Methods: Using the 2015 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey, we included 6655 adolescents with an experience of e-cigarette use who were middle and high school students aged 13–18 years. We compared smoking experience, the frequency and intensity of cigarette smoking, and the relation between the reasons for e-cigarette uses and the frequency of e-cigarette use. Results: The prevalence of e-cigarette ever and current (past 30 days) users were 10.1% and 3.9%, respectively. Of the ever users, approximately 60% used e-cigarettes not within 1 month. On the other hand, 8.1% used e-cigarettes daily. The frequent and intensive cigarette smoking was associated with frequent e-cigarette uses. The percentage of frequent e-cigarette users (≥10 days/month) was 3.5% in adolescents who did not smoke within a month, but 28.7% among daily smokers. Additionally, it was 9.1% in smokers who smoked less than 1 cigarette/month, but 55.1% in smokers who smoked ≥20 cigarettes/day. The most common reason for e-cigarette use was curiosity (22.9%), followed by the belief that they are less harmful than conventional cigarettes (18.9%), the desire to quit smoking (13.1%), and the capacity for indoor use (10.7%). Curiosity was the most common reason among less frequent e-cigarette users; however, the desire to quit smoking and the capacity for indoor use were the most common reasons among more frequent users. Conclusions: Results showed a positive relation between frequency or intensity of conventional cigarette smoking and the frequency of e-cigarette use among Korean adolescents, and frequency of e-cigarette use differed according to the reason for the use of e-cigarettes.

School-type differences in e-cigarette use and its correlates among Chinese adolescents

“…Our finding that, regardless of school type, the association between tobacco use and e-cigarette use, as well as morning craving, is consistent with existing findings that e-cigarette use was associated with morning smoking urge 20 and ever tobacco use 11,20 . No longitudinal study has explored the causal relationship between tobacco and e-cigarette use 7 .…”

“…Our finding that pro-tobacco advertisements increased odds of e-cigarettes use by 1.72 times, is similar to a study that found exposure to tobacco product advertisements raised e-cigarette awareness 11 . This suggests that those who are aware of or use e-cigarettes may be more attentive to or have greater exposure to tobacco-related messages.…”

“…Even though mainland China is among the world's largest and major producers of e-cigarettes 10 , and over 90% of the world's e-cigarettes come from cities such as Shenzhen 1 , studies on e-cigarette use among Chinese adolescents are few. A recent national survey found the prevalence of e-cigarette use and awareness to be 1.2% and 45.0%, respectively, among middle school students in China 11 .…”

“…E-cigarette use has been strongly linked to smoking and susceptibility to smoking 7 . A study found curiosity was the most commonly cited reason among less frequent e-cigarette users, while the desire to quit smoking and the opportunity for indoor use were the most commonly cited reasons among more frequent users 11 . A national survey conducted among middle school students in China found e-cigarette awareness and use were associated with: cigarette smoking, having parents or close friends who smoke, exposure to pro-tobacco advertising and anti-tobacco messages, having a positive attitude to smoking, and having more pocket money 12 .…”

Associations between reasons for vaping and current vaping and smoking status: Evidence from a UK based cohort

“…However, young adults in Great Britain may have different reasons for vaping than older adults; evidence from the US suggests that adolescents and young adults vape primarily out of curiosity 7 or because their friends/family vape 8 . In a study of South Korean adolescents, the most common reason for vaping among infrequent users was out of curiosity, but the most common reasons given for frequent vaping were to quit smoking and being able to vape indoors 9 . Vaping to quit smoking was also associated with continued vaping among US middle and high school students 10 .…”