Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Smoking Cessation in Arkansas, 2014

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Tobacco Control
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Limited evidence existed regarding electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) for smoking cessation as of October 2015.
• The study investigated ENDS prevalence, impact on smoking cessation, and user beliefs in Arkansas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if ENDS use was associated with lower odds of quitting smoking.
• To assess beliefs about the health risks of ENDS and their impact on tobacco-related health.
• To examine the relationship between ENDS use and smoking cessation in Arkansas.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using the 2014 Arkansas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) with 4465 respondents.
• Weighted analyses were employed to account for complex survey design.
• A subset of former smokers (quit within 5 years) and current smokers was analyzed to assess quitting odds.

Main Results:

• In 2014, 6.1% of Arkansas adults used ENDS; 54.1% of current or recent smokers had used ENDS.
• ENDS use was significantly associated with reduced odds of quitting smoking (OR=0.53).
• A majority of ENDS users did not believe switching to ENDS reduced health risks or that ENDS were harmless.

Conclusions:

• Most smokers who tried ENDS did not quit smoking, indicating an inverse association with smoking cessation.
• Tobacco cessation programs should inform cigarette smokers that ENDS may not be effective for quitting.
• ENDS use was inversely associated with smoking cessation outcomes in the study population.