New Etter/Bullen study on e-cigarette users

[Bill Godshall]

Electronic cigarette: users profile, utilization, satisfaction and perceived efficacy - Etter - 2011 - Addiction - Wiley Online Library
Electronic cigarette: users profile, utilization, satisfaction and perceived efficacy

1. <LI id=cr1>Jean-François Etter1,*,
2. Chris Bullen2

Article first published online: 27 JUL 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03505.x


ABSTRACT
Aims To assess the profile, utilization patterns, satisfaction and perceived effects among users of electronic cigarettes (‘e-cigarettes’).

Design and Setting Internet survey in English and French in 2010.

Measurements Online questionnaire.

Participants Visitors of websites and online discussion forums dedicated to e-cigarettes and to smoking cessation.

Findings There were 3587 participants (70% former tobacco smokers, 61% men, mean age 41 years). The median duration of electronic cigarette use was 3 months, users drew 120 puffs/day and used five refills/day. Almost all (97%) used e-cigarettes containing nicotine. Daily users spent $33 per month on these products. Most (96%) said the e-cigarette helped them to quit smoking or reduce their smoking (92%). Reasons for using the e-cigarette included the perception that it was less toxic than tobacco (84%), to deal with craving for tobacco (79%) and withdrawal symptoms (67%), to quit smoking or avoid relapsing (77%), because it was cheaper than smoking (57%) and to deal with situations where smoking was prohibited (39%). Most ex-smokers (79%) feared they might relapse to smoking if they stopped using the e-cigarette. Users of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes reported better relief of withdrawal and a greater effect on smoking cessation than those using non-nicotine e-cigarettes.

Conclusions E-cigarettes were used much as people would use nicotine replacement medications: by former smokers to avoid relapse or as an aid to cut down or quit smoking. Further research should evaluate the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes for administration of nicotine and other substances, and for quitting and relapse prevention.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Mike Siegel wrote about this new study at
The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary: New Study Documents that Thousands of E-Cigarette Users are Having Success Quitting; Claim that E-Cigs are Ineffective is No Longer Tenable

The American Council on Science or Health commented it on as well at
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.2883/news_detail.asp

 

[Vocalek]

ACSH has also weighed in on this study: New research lights up success of e-cigarettes > Facts & Fears > ACSH

 

[Bill Godshall]

Full text of the Etter/Bullen article is at
Electronic Cigarettes

 

[x-smok3]

All very good articles and worthy of a big bump

 

[DC2]

The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary: New Study Documents that Thousands of E-Cigarette Users are Having Success Quitting; Claim that E-Cigs are Ineffective is No Longer Tenable

The paper's major finding is as follows: "e-cigarettes were used largely by former smokers as an aid to quit smoking, to avoid relapse and to deal with withdrawal symptoms, much as people use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). ... Our data suggest that e-cigarettes may help smokers to quit smoking, reduce their cigarette consumption and attenuate craving and tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Users of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes reported only slightly superior effects on withdrawal than users of non-nicotine cigarettes, suggesting that nicotine delivery explains only part of the effect of these devices on withdrawal, and that sensory and behavioural components of the e-cigarette are also important."