Factors associated with past-year attempts to quit e-cigarettes among current users: Findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Wave 4 (2017-2018).

Abstract

Over 10 million adults report use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), with approximately 3.6 million reporting daily use. Even as the popularity of ENDS has increased, both as an available nicotine delivery system and an alternative to combustible cigarette smoking, few studies to date have examined ENDS cessation interest and related behaviors among ENDS users. The current study aimed to describe past year attempts to quit ENDS among current users and to investigate ENDS use / user characteristics associated with unsuccessful attempts to quit in the past year among adult, current, established ENDS users using data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 4. Over 10 % of ENDS users reported an attempt to quit completely in the past year, and 60 % indicated future intention to quit completely. Higher nicotine dependence, lower-frequency ENDS use, and higher interest in quitting were associated with past year attempts to quit ENDS. The current study adds support to claims that many ENDS users plan to quit using ENDS someday and highlights the need for continued research on ENDS cessation.