Dual use of electronic cigarettes and tobacco in New Zealand from a nationally representative sample

Abstract

Objective: There is strong interest in the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) globally. Not much is known about the dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco cigarettes, or if there are demographic differences among dual users and e-cigarette only users. This paper reports on the demographics of dual users and e-cigarette only users in New Zealand in a nationally representative sample. Methods: The Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS) is a biennial face-to-face in-house survey of New Zealand adults aged 15 years or over. The HLS was completed by 3,854 participants in 2016. Results: There is clear evidence of significant dual use in the current sample: most current e-cigarette users (63.9%) were dual users. Respondents 45 years and older were twice as likely to be dual users as those aged 15 to 34 years. Conclusion: The current study found evidence for substantial dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco cigarettes among adult e-cigarette users, particularly among users aged 45 years and over. Implications for public health: Public health initiatives should provide clear advice that e-cigarettes should be used as a smoking cessation tool and not as a way to allow the consumption of combustible tobacco to continue.