Lynne Dawkins Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of East London, Stratford
Abstract
An online survey was hosted at the University of East London between September 2011 and May 2012. 1347 e-cigarette users responded from 33 countries: mean age 43 years, 70% male, 96% Causacian. 74% reported not smoking for at least a few weeks since using the e-cigarette and 70% reported reduced urge to smoke. 72% of participants used a ‘tank’ system, most commonly, the EGo-C (23%). Mean duration of use was 10 months. Only 1% reported exclusive use of non-nicotine (0mg) containing liquid. E-cigarettes were generally considered to: be satisfying; elicit few side effects; be healthier than smoking; improve cough/breathing; and be associated with low levels of craving.
Among ex-smokers, ‘time to first vape’ was significantly longer than ‘time to first cigarette’ suggesting a lower level of dependence to e-cigarettes. Ex-smokers reported significantly greater reduction in craving than current smokers although few other differences emerged between these groups. Compared to males, females opted more for chocolate/sweet flavours and liked the e-cigarette because it resembles a cigarette. To conclude, e-cigarettes tend to be used for smoking cessation but for a longer duration than NRT and were generally regarded as efficacious.
Source of funding: None
Declaration of interest: Lynne Dawkins has a collaborative relationship with the Electronic Cigarette Company (TECC) and Totally Wicked E-Liquids (TWEL) and has received funds from these companies to attend academic conferences. TECC and TWEL reviewed and approved the content of the questionnaire and set up links from their websites to the host site at UEL.
