Quit and Smoking Reduction Rates in Vape Shop Consumers: A Prospective 12-Month Survey

Riccardo Polosa, Pasquale Caponnetto, Fabio Cibella and Jacques Le-Houezec
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Riccardo Polosa: Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo (CPCT), Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Università di Catania, Catania 95100, Italy
Pasquale Caponnetto: Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo (CPCT), Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Università di Catania, Catania 95100, Italy
Fabio Cibella: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, Palermo 90100, Italy
Jacques Le-Houezec: Addiction Research Unit at INSERM 1178 (Mental and Public Health), 75014 Paris, France

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Aims : Here, we present results from a prospective pilot study that was aimed at surveying changes in daily cigarette consumption in smokers making their first purchase at vape shops. Modifications in products purchase were also noted. Design : Participants were instructed how to charge, fill, activate and use their e-cigarettes (e-cigs). Participants were encouraged to use these products in the anticipation of reducing the number of cig/day smoked. Settings : Staff from LIAF contacted 10 vape shops in the province of the city of Catania (Italy) that acted as sponsors to the 2013 No Tobacco Day. Participants : 71 adult smokers (?18 years old) making their first purchase at local participating vape shops were asked by professional retail staff to complete a form. Measurements : Their cigarette consumption was followed-up prospectively at 6 and 12 months. Details of products purchase ( i.e. , e-cigs hardware, e-liquid nicotine strengths and flavours) were also noted. Findings : Retention rate was elevated, with 69% of participants attending their final follow-up visit. At 12 month, 40.8% subjects could be classified as quitters, 25.4% as reducers and 33.8% as failures. Switching from standard refillables (initial choice) to more advanced devices (MODs) was observed in this study (from 8.5% at baseline to 18.4% at 12 month) as well as a trend in decreasing thee-liquid nicotine strength, with more participants adopting low nicotine strength (from 49.3% at baseline to 57.1% at 12 month). Conclusions : We have found that smokers purchasing e-cigarettes from vape shops with professional advice and support can achieve high success rates.

Keywords: smoking cessation; smoking reduction; electronic cigarette; vape shop; tobacco harm reduction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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