Prevalence of Young Adult Vaping, Substance Vaped, and Purchase Location Across Five Categories of V
Friday, May 21, 2021
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Sam
N Cwalina, Jessica L Braymiller, Adam M Leventhal, Jennifer B Unger, Rob
McConnell, Jessica L Barrington-Trimis.
Prevalence of Young Adult
Vaping, Substance Vaped, and Purchase Location Across Five Categories of Vaping
Devices.
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 23, Issue 5, May 2021, Pages 829–835, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa232.
Introduction. The
rapidly evolving landscape of vaping devices has complicated analyses of use
patterns among youth and young adults. The current study describes the
prevalence of use, substances vaped, and purchasing behaviors across five
different vaping device categories.
Aims and Methods. Participants
(n = 2505; mean age = 19.2, SD = 0.46) from a cohort in the Los Angeles area
completed web-based surveys from June 2018 to October 2019. For each of four
device type categories depicted via digital images (any pod-style vape,
cigalike, box-mod, vape pen) and for JUUL specifically, participants reported
ever and past 30-day use, substance vaped (mostly nicotine, nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol
[THC], mostly THC, neither), ownership of device (yes/no), where they obtained
that device (eg, purchased themselves, from a friend), and if purchased,
purchase location (eg, vape shop, online).
Results. Overall,
44.9% reported ever use, and 26.2% reported past 30-day use of at least one of
the devices. The prevalence of past 30-day use was highest for pod-style vapes
(any pod = 17.0%; JUUL = 15.1%). Among respondents who reported ever owning any
device (n = 643 [25.7%]), 59.9% reported purchasing the device themselves,
despite not being of legal purchasing age (15.4% of total sample); across all
device types, products were most often purchased in vape shops or online.
Conclusions. Across
all devices, the prevalence of self-purchase of vaping devices among underage
young adults in the Los Angeles area was high, and most were purchased from a
vape shop or online. Tobacco control policies to prevent underage purchase of
tobacco products—particularly among never smokers—are needed.
Implications. A
high proportion of underage young adults reported owning their own vaping
device and having purchased it themselves from a vape shop or online. Stronger
tobacco control policies and better enforcement efforts are needed to
successfully prevent underage purchase of tobacco products.
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