OBJECTIVES: We examined sources of e-cigarette acquisition among youth, and changes in these sources, between 2014 and 2015. We also assessed whether youth were ever refused the sale of e-cigarettes. METHODS: Anonymous, cross-sectional surveys conducted in five high schools in 2014 and 2015 in Connecticut assessed demographics, e-cigarette and cigarette use, and e-cigarette acquisition sources (friends/boyfriends/girlfriends, tobacco shops, siblings, online, parents/adult family members, other). We restricted analyses to adolescents younger than 18 years old who had used e-cigarettes in the past month (2014: N = 400, 2015: N = 390). RESULTS: Top sources of e-cigarette acquisition were friends (2014: 50.2%, 2015: 45.4%), tobacco shops (2014: 17.5%, 2015: 12.6%), and online shops (2014: 9.8%, 2015: 10.5%). A multilevel model, controlling for sex, age, and cigarette smoking status, while clustering by schools showed a decrease in the proportion of youth obtaining e-cigarettes from friends (AOR = .84) between 2014 and 2015. In 2015, 69.8% and 85.8% purchased e-cigarettes from a physical store and an online store, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Peers were the most popular source of e-cigarette acquisition. Many adolescents were able to purchase e-cigarettes from commercial sources. Future studies should continue to conduct surveillance of where adolescents obtain e-cigarettes to inform prevention strategies.
OBJECTIVES: We examined sources of e-cigarette acquisition among youth, and changes in these sources, between 2014 and 2015. We also assessed whether youth were ever refused the sale of e-cigarettes. METHODS: Anonymous, cross-sectional surveys conducted in five high schools in 2014 and 2015 in Connecticut assessed demographics, e-cigarette and cigarette use, and e-cigarette acquisition sources (friends/boyfriends/girlfriends, tobacco shops, siblings, online, parents/adult family members, other). We restricted analyses to adolescents younger than 18 years old who had used e-cigarettes in the past month (2014: N = 400, 2015: N = 390). RESULTS: Top sources of e-cigarette acquisition were friends (2014: 50.2%, 2015: 45.4%), tobacco shops (2014: 17.5%, 2015: 12.6%), and online shops (2014: 9.8%, 2015: 10.5%). A multilevel model, controlling for sex, age, and cigarette smoking status, while clustering by schools showed a decrease in the proportion of youth obtaining e-cigarettes from friends (AOR = .84) between 2014 and 2015. In 2015, 69.8% and 85.8% purchased e-cigarettes from a physical store and an online store, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Peers were the most popular source of e-cigarette acquisition. Many adolescents were able to purchase e-cigarettes from commercial sources. Future studies should continue to conduct surveillance of where adolescents obtain e-cigarettes to inform prevention strategies.
Authors: Rebecca E Bunnell; Israel T Agaku; René A Arrazola; Benjamin J Apelberg; Ralph S Caraballo; Catherine G Corey; Blair N Coleman; Shanta R Dube; Brian A King Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2014-08-20 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Megan E Roberts; Brittney Keller-Hamilton; Alice Hinton; Christopher R Browning; Michael D Slater; Wenna Xi; Amy K Ferketich Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2018-08-30 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Cheryl L Perry; MeLisa R Creamer; Benjamin W Chaffee; Jennifer B Unger; Erin L Sutfin; Grace Kong; Ce Shang; Stephanie L Clendennen; Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin; Mary Ann Pentz Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2020-06-12 Impact factor: 4.244