Scott R Weaver1, J Wesley Heath2, David L Ashley3, Jidong Huang4, Terry F Pechacek4, Michael P Eriksen4. 1. Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: srweaver@gsu.edu. 2. Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 3. Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 4. Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Health Policy & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective was to examine the reasons smokers have discontinued or chosen not to use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). METHODS: Data were obtained from a national probability sample of 1843 US adult current smokers who were not current ENDS users pooled from the 2017 and 2018 annual, cross-sectional Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Surveys. Participants reported their ENDS use, reasons for discontinuing or not initiating ENDS use, quit smoking intentions, perceptions, and use intentions. Weighted proportions and logistic regression models were estimated. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of smokers were former ENDS users who reported prior "regular use", and 7.5% were former ENDS users who reported regular use. Three most cited reasons for discontinuing ENDS were: ENDS "didn't feel like smoking" (23%), "only ever tried them to see what they were like" (20%), and "didn't help me deal with cravings for smoking" (14%). Reasons for discontinuing ENDS were associated with the regularity of former ENDS use and ENDS type. Nearly 40% of current smokers had not tried ENDS with the most commonly cited reasons being not wanting to substitute one addiction for another (60%), concerns about their safety (53%), skepticism that ENDS could help them quit smoking (52%), and cost (43%). Reasons were associated with smoking quit intentions, harm perceptions, and age. CONCLUSION: Whereas smokers who had formerly used ENDS cited inadequate craving reduction or incomparability to smoking for their discontinuation, the larger segment of smokers who have never used ENDS cited "safety," "effectiveness," and "costs" as reasons for non-use.
BACKGROUND: The objective was to examine the reasons smokers have discontinued or chosen not to use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). METHODS: Data were obtained from a national probability sample of 1843 US adult current smokers who were not current ENDS users pooled from the 2017 and 2018 annual, cross-sectional Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Surveys. Participants reported their ENDS use, reasons for discontinuing or not initiating ENDS use, quit smoking intentions, perceptions, and use intentions. Weighted proportions and logistic regression models were estimated. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of smokers were former ENDS users who reported prior "regular use", and 7.5% were former ENDS users who reported regular use. Three most cited reasons for discontinuing ENDS were: ENDS "didn't feel like smoking" (23%), "only ever tried them to see what they were like" (20%), and "didn't help me deal with cravings for smoking" (14%). Reasons for discontinuing ENDS were associated with the regularity of former ENDS use and ENDS type. Nearly 40% of current smokers had not tried ENDS with the most commonly cited reasons being not wanting to substitute one addiction for another (60%), concerns about their safety (53%), skepticism that ENDS could help them quit smoking (52%), and cost (43%). Reasons were associated with smoking quit intentions, harm perceptions, and age. CONCLUSION: Whereas smokers who had formerly used ENDS cited inadequate craving reduction or incomparability to smoking for their discontinuation, the larger segment of smokers who have never used ENDS cited "safety," "effectiveness," and "costs" as reasons for non-use.
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