One in 7 Dual Users Continue Using Both Tobacco Products

HealthDay News — One in 7 dual users of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and cigarettes continues using both products during 6 years of follow-up, according to a study published online December 13 in Tobacco Control.

Nandita Krishnan, from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, DC, and colleagues assessed the longitudinal trajectories of ENDS and cigarette use among dual users. The analysis included data from 545 adult dual users across waves 1 to 5 (2013 to 2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study.

The researchers report that in wave 1, 2 ENDS trajectories (early quitters, 66.0%; stable users, 34.0%) and 3 cigarette trajectories (stable users, 55.2%; gradual quitters, 27.3%; early quitters, 17.5%) were identified. When analyzing joint trajectories, the researchers found 41.6% of participants were early ENDS quitters and stable cigarette users, 14.8% early ENDS quitters and gradual cigarette quitters, 14.6% stable ENDS users and stable cigarette users, 11.2% stable ENDS users and gradual cigarette quitters, 10.3% early ENDS quitters and early cigarette quitters, and 7.4% stable ENDS users and early cigarette quitters. Trajectory group membership was predicted by cigarette and ENDS use frequency, nicotine dependence, cannabis use, and other noncombusted tobacco product use.

“Before 2019, ENDS use did not contribute to substantial smoking cessation at the population level,” the authors write.

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