Tobacco-Product Use by Adults and Youths in the United States in 2013 and 2014

Abstract

BACKGROUND Noncigarette tobacco products are evolving rapidly, with increasing popularity in the United States. METHODS We present prevalence estimates for 12 types of tobacco products, using data from 45,971 adult and youth participants (≥12 years of age) from Wave 1 (September 2013 through December 2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a large, nationally representative, longitudinal study of tobacco use and health in the United States. Participants were asked about their use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, traditional cigars, cigarillos, filtered cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah, snus pouches, other smokeless tobacco, dissolvable tobacco, bidis, and kreteks. Estimates of the prevalence of use for each product were determined according to use category (e.g., current use or use in the previous 30 days) and demographic subgroup, and the prevalence of multiple-product use was explored. RESULTS More than a quarter (27.6%) of adults were current users of at least one type of tobacco product in 2013 and 2014, although the prevalence varied depending on use category. A total of 8.9% of youths had used a tobacco product in the previous 30 days; 1.6% of youths were daily users. Approximately 40% of tobacco users, adults and youths alike, used multiple tobacco products; cigarettes plus e-cigarettes was the most common combination. Young adults (18 to 24 years of age), male adults and youths, members of racial minorities, and members of sexual minorities generally had higher use of tobacco than their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS During this study, 28% of U.S. adults were current users of tobacco, and 9% of youths had used tobacco in the previous 30 days. Use of multiple products was common among tobacco users. These findings will serve as baseline data to examine between-person differences and within-person changes over time in the use of tobacco products. (Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Food and Drug Administration.)

Electronic Cigarette Use Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Pattern by Cigarette Smoking Status in the United States From NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 2013–2014

“…Consistent with our findings, the PATH study showed that the prevalence of e‐cigarette use is higher among younger than older adults 18, 25. The use of e‐cigarettes has become more popular among young‐adult, never‐smoking individuals 25. Consequently, the prevalence of e‐cigarette and traditional cigarette use should be monitored closely over successive NHANES cycles, given that young‐adult e‐cigarette users have shown a greater tendency toward initiating cigarette use than nonusers 26.…”

“…In particular, all e‐cigarette users in NHANES who were free of a history of cigarette smoking (ie, sole users) were aged <40 years. Consistent with our findings, the PATH study showed that the prevalence of e‐cigarette use is higher among younger than older adults 18, 25. The use of e‐cigarettes has become more popular among young‐adult, never‐smoking individuals 25.…”

Preventing Smoking Progression in Young Adults: the Concept of Prevescalation

“…Approximately 35% of the total young adult population may fall into this range when one considers the full range of tobacco and nicotine products (Kasza et al 2017;Richardson et al 2014). The FDA's The Real Cost campaign, a national media campaign trying to persuade youth to reassess the costs of tobacco use, similarly targets both susceptible never users and experimenters (Duke et al 2015).…”

Adolescent E-Cigarette, Hookah, and Conventional Cigarette Use and Subsequent Marijuana Use

“…9 This increase is attributable to the use of alternative nicotinedelivery products, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and hookah. 10,11 More than 11% of high school students currently use e-cigarettes, 12 and an estimated 5% to 11% currently smoke hookah. 12 -15 Whether the well-established comorbidity between combustible cigarette smoking and subsequent marijuana use in adolescence translates to e-cigarette and hookah use is unknown.…”