Comparison of nicotine dependence between single and multiple tobacco product users among South Korean adults

The relationship between nicotine dependence and the use of multiple tobacco products, such as heated tobacco products (HTPs), electronic cigarettes (ECs), and combustible cigarettes (CCs), is not well investigated. We evaluated nicotine dependence symptoms among South Korean adults among single and multiple tobacco product users.

We conducted an online survey involving 7000 adults aged 20-69 years in November 2018 and compared the nicotine dependence among single, dual, and triple use of tobacco products. Nicotine dependence was measured for 'time to the first use of tobacco products within 5 min', 'awaking at night', 'strong craving', 'uncontrollable urge to smoke', and 'irritability or restlessness'. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for nicotine dependence symptoms based on the number of tobacco products were estimated using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

The current prevalence of use of tobacco products was 27.5%. Proportion of dual and triple uses were: 28.3%, 13.7% for CCs; 36.5%, 50.2% for ECs; and 54.0%, 33.1% for HTPs. Nicotine dependence tended to be higher as the number of tobacco products used increased for most measures, except for ECs with the measure 'time to first use of tobacco products within 5 min'. The ORs of 'awaking at night' increased approximately three times for dual users (OR=2.87; 95% CI: 1.29-6.39, for current EC users) and seven times for triple users (OR=7.24; 95% CI: 3.66-14.31, for current HTP users) compared to that for single users.

Multiple tobacco product users reported higher nicotine dependence symptoms than single users. High nicotine dependence of multiple tobacco product users may hamper the future cessation of tobacco products, which can be challenging for future tobacco control policies in South Korea.