Longitudinal examination of ENDS characteristics, flavors, and nicotine content for cigarette cessation: Findings from PATH waves 5–6

Background

A subpopulation of adults who smoke cigarettes use electronic nicotine device systems (ENDS) for cigarette cessation. This study examined the relationship between ENDS flavors, device types, and nicotine concentration with past month cigarette abstinence among adults using ENDS for cigarette cessation.

Methods

We used the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study (waves 5 and 6) to identify adults who self-reported using ENDS to quit cigarettes at baseline (wave 5) and investigated their cigarette abstinence at follow-up (wave 6) [n = 1252]. Measures assessed include ENDS features (flavors, device types, nicotine concentration) at baseline and past-month abstinence from cigarette smoking at follow-up. Weighted descriptive analysis was used, and multivariable logistic regression models examined ENDS features associated with past-month cigarette abstinence, adjusting for demographic factors and tobacco dependence at baseline.

Results

Most participants used disposable devices (37.2 %; 95 % CI:33.2–41.5), followed by refillable tanks (30.2 %; 95 % CI:26.2–34.5). Additionally, fruit (41.3 %; 95 % CI:37.3–45.5), followed by menthol (19.1 %; 95 % CI:16.2–22.4), and tobacco (18.5 %; 95 % CI:15.5–22.1) were the most common flavors. The most common nicotine concentration used was 1–6 mg/ml (38.8 %; 95 % CI:34.6–43.2). Furthermore, in the adjusted model, daily ENDS users at baseline had 86 % (95 % CI:1.08–3.18) higher odds of past month cigarette abstinence at follow-up, than individuals who indicated ‘not at all’ to the current use of ENDS at baseline. There were no significant differences by preferred flavors, device type and nicotine concentrations (p-values > 0.05).

Conclusions

Daily ENDS users had higher odds of quitting cigarettes compared to those who stopped using ENDS. However, the type of device, flavoring, and nicotine concentration used by ENDS users were not associated with past-month cigarette abstinence at follow-up two years later.