Dual Users' Perceptions of the Addictive Properties of Cigarettes Versus E-cigarettes.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Perry
RN, Girgulis JP, Harrison SL, Barrett SP.
Dual Users' Perceptions of
the Addictive Properties of Cigarettes Versus E-cigarettes.
[published online ahead of print, 2022 Sep 3]. Addict Behav.
2022;136:107483. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107483
Introduction. Electronic
cigarettes ("e-cigarettes") are commonly promoted as a less-harmful
alternative to combustible cigarettes, yet many individuals concurrently use
both products ("dual users"). Little is known about the extent to
which dual users' perceptions of the addictive properties of these products
differ, or to what extent there are differences in the factors that elicit
craving for each product.
Methods. An
online survey evaluated beliefs about the addictive properties of cigarettes vs
e-cigarettes and the situational and affective precipitants of product craving,
on a scale from 1 to 10, in a sample of Canadian adults that reported
past-month use of combustible and e-cigarettes (N = 175; 79 female).
Results. Participants
rated cigarettes as more addictive than e-cigarettes, and on average reported
higher levels of dependence on combustible cigarettes. While the addictive
properties of both combustible and e-cigarettes were largely attributed to
nicotine, non-nicotine factors (e.g. flavouring, other non-nicotine
ingredients) were believed to make a relatively stronger contribution to the
addictive properties of e-cigarettes, particularly among women. Participants
reported greater increases in craving for combustible cigarettes in response to
negative affective states and situational factors, and these effects were
strongest among participants that displayed greater dependence on combustible
tobacco relative to e-cigarettes.
Conclusions. Dual
users perceived cigarettes to be more addictive than e-cigarettes and
attributed the addictive properties of each product to different factors.
Further, cravings for combustible cigarettes were more strongly linked to
certain negative affective states and situational factors relative to
e-cigarettes. Findings suggest that there may be limited substitutability
between combustible and e-cigarettes.
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