Young adult e-cigarette users’ reasons for liking and not liking e-cigarettes: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective To gain an in-depth understanding of what young adult electronic- or e-cigarette users like or dislike about e-cigarettes. We aimed to determine the reasons that may encourage young adults to use e-cigarettes or discourage them from using e-cigarettes. Design Twelve focus group discussions were conducted with 62 current daily e-cigarette users (63% men) of mean age = 25.1 years (Standard Deviation = 5.5). Data were analyzed following principles of inductive content analysis. Results Results indicated 12 categories of reasons for liking e-cigarettes (e.g., recreation, smoking cessation) and 6 categories of reasons for not liking e-cigarettes (e.g., poor product quality, poor smoking experience). Conclusions Young adults’ motives for using or not using e-cigarettes appear to be varied and their relative importance in terms of predicting e-cigarette use initiation, dependence, and cigarette/e-cigarette dual use needs to be carefully studied in population-based, empirical studies. The current findings suggest that e-cigarettes may serve social, recreational, and sensory expectancies that are unique relative to cigarettes and not dependent on nicotine. Further, successful use of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation will likely need higher standards of product quality control, better nicotine delivery efficiency and a counseling component that would teach smokers how to manage e-cigarette devices while trying to quit smoking cigarettes.

The Relation between Frequency of E-Cigarette Use and Frequency and Intensity of Cigarette Smoking among South Korean Adolescents

“…This can be a possible explanation for the association between reasons for use of e-cigarettes and the continued use of them. On the other hand, e-cigarettes can be used as a recreational device in terms of the purpose of ecigarette uses, even in non-smoking adolescents [29]. Our findings show e-cigarettes were used as a smoking cessation aid among adolescent smokers and for recreational purposes even among nonsmokers, although there is lack of evidence for their safety and efficacy in adolescents [26,27].…”

“…For infrequent e-cigarette users, curiosity, better taste, and good flavor comprised half of the reasons for e-cigarette use. This group initiates e-cigarette use for recreational purposes [29], and this can increase the probability of their becoming conventional cigarette smokers or other substance users [9].…”

E-cigarette use in adults: a qualitative study of users’ perceptions and future use intentions

“…Evidence is converging that e-cigarettes provide an opportunity for smokers to redefine themselves from “smokers” to “vapers” (Barbeau et al, 2013). Given the loss of identity and social engagement reported by individuals who quit smoking, the social characteristics may be a particularly appealing aspect of transitioning from smoking to vaping (Pokhrel et al, 2015b). Additionally, our study participants felt they were able to escape the stigma of being a “smoker” by referring to themselves as a “vaper.” A few participants referred to the e-cigarette as a “vaporizer” to avoid using the word “cigarette,” thereby further distinguishing use from traditional cigarettes.…”

“…Negative perceptions of e-cigarettes have included feelings of uncertainty surrounding the safety of e-cigarettes and conflicting views related to the potential for continued nicotine addiction (Pokhrel et al, 2015b; Rooke, Cunnigham-Burley, & Amose, 2015). A recent examination of open-ended responses on a survey conducted with e-cigarette users (Baweja et al, 2015) found that the most common negative effects of e-cigarettes mentioned were dry mouth, chapped lips, and bad breath.…”

Formative research to identify perceptions of e-cigarettes in college students: Implications for future health communication campaigns

“…Importantly, previous qualitative studies have focused on perceptions and reasons for user among e-cigarette users, but have not examined differences in perceptions among e-cigarette users versus nonusers. 17,51–53 Therefore, the current study provides much-needed insight into the beliefs of nonusers. By examining differences in perceptions by e-cigarette use category, the current study identified similarities and differences in themes between the 2 groups.…”