Dataset Information

Quantifying population-level health benefits and harms of e-cigarette use in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may help cigarette smokers quit smoking, yet they may also facilitate cigarette smoking for never-smokers. We quantify the balance of health benefits and harms associated with e-cigarette use at the population level.

Methods and findings

Monte Carlo stochastic simulation model. Model parameters were drawn from census counts, national health and tobacco use surveys, and published literature. We calculate the expected years of life gained or lost from the impact of e-cigarette use on smoking cessation among current smokers and transition to long-term cigarette smoking among never smokers for the 2014 US population cohort.

Results

The model estimated that 2,070 additional current cigarette smoking adults aged 25-69 (95% CI: -42,900 to 46,200) would quit smoking in 2015 and remain continually abstinent from smoking for ?7 years through the use of e-cigarettes in 2014. The model also estimated 168,000 additional never-cigarette smoking adolescents aged 12-17 and young adults aged 18-29 (95% CI: 114,000 to 229,000), would initiate cigarette smoking in 2015 and eventually become daily cigarette smokers at age 35-39 through the use of e-cigarettes in 2014. Overall, the model estimated that e-cigarette use in 2014 would lead to 1,510,000 years of life lost (95% CI: 920,000 to 2,160,000), assuming an optimistic 95% relative harm reduction of e-cigarette use compared to cigarette smoking. As the relative harm reduction decreased, the model estimated a greater number of years of life lost. For example, the model estimated-1,550,000 years of life lost (95% CI: -2,200,000 to -980,000) assuming an approximately 75% relative harm reduction and -1,600,000 years of life lost (95% CI: -2,290,000 to -1,030,000) assuming an approximately 50% relative harm reduction.

Conclusions

Based on the existing scientific evidence related to e-cigarettes and optimistic assumptions about the relative harm of e-cigarette use compared to cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use currently represents more population-level harm than benefit. Effective national, state, and local efforts are needed to reduce e-cigarette use among youth and young adults if e-cigarettes are to confer a net population-level benefit in the future.

SUBMITTER: Soneji SS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5851558 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Quantifying population-level health benefits and harms of e-cigarette use in the United States.

Soneji Samir S SS Sung Hai-Yen HY Primack Brian A BA Pierce John P JP Sargent James D JD

PloS one 20180314 3

<h4>Background</h4>Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may help cigarette smokers quit smoking, yet they may also facilitate cigarette smoking for never-smokers. We quantify the balance of health benefits and harms associated with e-cigarette use at the population level.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>Monte Carlo stochastic simulation model. Model parameters were drawn from census counts, national health and tobacco use surveys, and published literature. We calculate the expected years of life gai ...[more]

PMID: 29538396

Similar Datasets

Project description:Importance:The prevalence of e-cigarette use among US youth increased from 2011 to 2018. Continued monitoring of the prevalence of e-cigarette and other tobacco product use among youth is important to inform public health policy, planning, and regulatory efforts. Objective:To estimate the prevalence of e-cigarette use among US high school and middle school students in 2019 including frequency of use, brands used, and use of flavored products. Design, Setting, and Participants:Cross-sectional analyses of a school-based nationally representative sample of 19?018 US students in grades 6 to 12 participating in the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey. The survey was conducted from February 15, 2019, to May 24, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures:Self-reported current (past 30-day) e-cigarette use estimates among high school and middle school students; frequent use (?20 days in the past 30 days) and usual e-cigarette brand among current e-cigarette users; and use of flavored e-cigarettes and flavor types among current exclusive e-cigarette users (no use of other tobacco products) by school level and usual brand. Prevalence estimates were weighted to account for the complex sampling design. Results:The survey included 10?097 high school students (mean [SD] age, 16.1 [3.0] years; 47.5% female) and 8837 middle school students (mean [SD] age, 12.7 [2.8] years; 48.7% female). The response rate was 66.3%. An estimated 27.5% (95% CI, 25.3%-29.7%) of high school students and 10.5% (95% CI, 9.4%-11.8%) of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use. Among current e-cigarette users, an estimated 34.2% (95% CI, 31.2%-37.3%) of high school students and 18.0% (95% CI, 15.2%-21.2%) of middle school students reported frequent use, and an estimated 63.6% (95% CI, 59.3%-67.8%) of high school students and 65.4% (95% CI, 60.6%-69.9%) of middle school students reported exclusive use of e-cigarettes. Among current e-cigarette users, an estimated 59.1% (95% CI, 54.8%-63.2%) of high school students and 54.1% (95% CI, 49.1%-59.0%) of middle school students reported JUUL as their usual e-cigarette brand in the past 30 days; among current e-cigarette users, 13.8% (95% CI, 12.0%-15.9%) of high school students and 16.8% (95% CI, 13.6%-20.7%) of middle school students reported not having a usual e-cigarette brand. Among current exclusive e-cigarette users, an estimated 72.2% (95% CI, 69.1%-75.1%) of high school students and 59.2% (95% CI, 54.8%-63.4%) of middle school students used flavored e-cigarettes, with fruit, menthol or mint, and candy, desserts, or other sweets being the most commonly reported flavors. Conclusions and Relevance:In 2019, the prevalence of self-reported e-cigarette use was high among high school and middle school students, with many current e-cigarette users reporting frequent use and most of the exclusive e-cigarette users reporting use of flavored e-cigarettes.

Project description:ImportanceMillions of Americans use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). A growing number of state and local governments have started to draft and implement laws regarding the sale, marketing, and use of e-cigarettes. The association of US state regulations regarding e-cigarettes with e-cigarette use remains unknown.ObjectiveTo examine the association of US state regulations regarding e-cigarettes with current e-cigarette use among adults in the United States.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study included adults aged 18 years or older from the 2016 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which is a nationwide, telephone-administered survey that collects state-representative data on health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. Data analysis was performed from February 1, 2019, to April 31, 2019.ExposuresUnited States state laws regulating e-cigarette use, including prohibiting e-cigarette use in indoor areas of private workplaces, restaurants, and bars; requiring retailers to purchase a license to sell e-cigarettes; prohibiting self-service displays of e-cigarettes; prohibiting sales of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to persons younger than 21 years; and e-cigarette taxes.Main outcomes and measuresCurrent use of e-cigarettes.ResultsAmong 894 997 participants aged 18 years or older (503 688 women [51.3%], 679 443 non-Hispanic white [62.6%], 71 730 non-Hispanic black [16.3%], 69 823 Hispanic [11.4%], and 74 001 non-Hispanic other races [9.8%]), 28 907 (weighted prevalence, 4.4%) were currently using e-cigarettes. The age-standardized weighted prevalence of current e-cigarette use varied across US states and territories, from 1.0% in Puerto Rico to 6.2% in Guam. After adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors, including conventional cigarette use, the odds ratios of current e-cigarette use were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83-0.98) for state laws prohibiting e-cigarette use in indoor areas of private workplaces, restaurants, and bars; 0.90 (95% CI, 0.85-0.95) for state laws requiring retailers to purchase a license to sell e-cigarettes; 1.04 (95% CI, 0.99-1.09) for state laws prohibiting self-service displays of e-cigarettes; 0.86 (95% CI, 0.74-0.99) for state laws prohibiting sales of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to persons younger than 21 years; and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.83-0.96) for state laws applying taxes to e-cigarettes.Conclusions and relevanceThese findings suggest that several state regulations regarding e-cigarettes may be associated with reduced e-cigarette use among US adults.

Dataset Information

Quantifying population-level health benefits and harms of e-cigarette use in the United States.

Background

Methods and findings

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Quantifying population-level health benefits and harms of e-cigarette use in the United States.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets