Underage Youth and Young Adult e-Cigarette Use and Access Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Source:

Gaiha SM, Lempert LK, Halpern-Felsher B. Underage Youth and Young Adult e-Cigarette Use and Access Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(12):e2027572. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27572

Key Points

Question  Did underage youth and young adults (13-24 years) self-report changes in use and access to e-cigarettes during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic?

Findings  In this national, online, cross-sectional survey study of 2167 youth and young adults using e-cigarettes, 1198 respondents reported changing their amount of e-cigarette use, with 810 reducing or quitting e-cigarette use; e-cigarette access shifted to alternative retail stores and online. Reduced e-cigarette use or quitting was associated with adhering to shelter-in-place guidelines and was less likely if participants had used e-cigarettes more than 10 times or were nicotine dependent.

Meaning  Individuals younger than 21 years reported e-cigarette use and accessed e-cigarettes from online and retail stores during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, suggesting a need to strengthen prevention of e-cigarette sales to such youth, including age verification, and provide cessation resources.