Examining current E-cigarette use among U.S. adults by groups stratified by demographic characteristics, 2014-2023

This study explores current e-cigarette use from 2014 to 2023 among U.S. adults stratified by demographic groups.

Repeated, cross-sectional self-respondent data from the Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS) from 2014 to 2015, 2018-2019 and 2022-2023 were analyzed. Self-response and replicate weights were applied for nationally representative estimates. Predicted marginals were used to obtain adjusted estimates; linear contrasts were used to assess trends.

After adjusting for sex, age, race and ethnicity, employment, metropolitan status, region and education, current e-cigarette use among U.S. adults was stable between 2014 and 2015 (2.22%, 95% CI: 2.14,2.31) and 2018-2019 (2.33%, 95% CI: 2.21,2.45), but increased by 2022-2023 (3.13%, 95% CI: 2.96,3.31, p < 0.01). From 2014 to 2015 to 2022-2023, e-cigarette use increased for many groups including Black non-Hispanic adults (65.69% increase from 1.02% to 1.69%) and Hispanic adults (59.14% increase from 0.93% to 1.48%). In 2014-2015, 8.26% of all adults and 25.11% of those ages 18-24 who reported current e-cigarette use had never used cigarettes, which increased to 34.06% and 67.63%, respectively, in 2022-2023.

E-cigarette use increased among U.S. adults between 2014 and 2015 and 2022-2023. Several demographic groups experienced increases in current e-cigarette use that may be explained by declining e-cigarette prices and marketing tactics.