Do Current Smokers and Ex-Smokers Who Use Nicotine Vaping Products Daily Versus Weekly Differ on Their Reasons for Vaping? Findings from the 2020 ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey

Shannon Gravely (), Hua-Hie Yong, Jessica L. Reid, Katherine A. East, Coral E. Gartner, David T. Levy, K. Michael Cummings, Ron Borland, Anne C. K. Quah, Maansi Bansal-Travers, Janine Ouimet and Geoffrey T. Fong
Additional contact information
Shannon Gravely: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Hua-Hie Yong: School of Psychology, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
Jessica L. Reid: School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Katherine A. East: Department of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, Addictions Sciences Building, 4 Windsor Walk, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8BB, UK
Coral E. Gartner: School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, The Public Health Building, Corner of Wyndham St and Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
David T. Levy: Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
K. Michael Cummings: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President St., Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Ron Borland: School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
Anne C. K. Quah: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Maansi Bansal-Travers: Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
Janine Ouimet: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Geoffrey T. Fong: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: This study examined reasons why adults who currently smoke or formerly smoked cigarettes use nicotine vaping products (NVPs) by vaping frequency (daily vs. weekly) stratified by smoking status. This cross-sectional study included 3070 adults from the 2020 ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey (Australia, Canada, England, United States) who reported using a NVP (vaping) at least weekly and who either currently smoke ( n = 2467) or formerly smoked ( n = 603). Respondents were asked to select the reason(s) they use NVPs, including to manage their smoking (reduce/quit or remain quit) and/or for reasons unrelated to managing smoking (e.g., to save money, enjoyment, flavours). We found that both current and former smokers endorsed an average of six reasons for vaping, with those vaping daily reporting significantly more reasons than those vaping weekly. Among current smokers, 72.8% reported vaping may help them quit smoking, 13.0% reported vaping to reduce smoking but not to quit, and 14.2% reported vaping only for reasons other than to reduce or quit smoking. The most common reason for vaping among current smokers was to reduce smoking (81.3%). Current smokers vaping daily were significantly more likely than those vaping weekly to report using a NVP to reduce smoking, for enjoyment, to reduce harm to themselves and others, to quit smoking, likeable flavours, and to save money. The most common reason cited for vaping by respondents who formerly smoked was enjoyment, with those who vaped daily more likely than those who vaped weekly to report vaping for enjoyment and to reduce harm to themselves. Nearly all reported vaping to help stay abstinent from smoking (92.3%), with no significant difference by vaping frequency. In conclusion, a majority of respondents reported using NVPs to manage their smoking (reduce/quit smoking or remain quit), particularly those vaping daily. Those who were vaping daily also endorsed a greater number of reasons other than managing smoking relative to those who were vaping weekly.

Keywords: nicotine vaping products; cigarettes; vaping; smoking; use reasons; adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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