Vaping & Students:
Who’s Puffing What?
Caroline O. Cobb, Ph.D.
VCU Psychology Department & Center for the Study of Tobacco Products
Goals for this session
• Describe e-cigarette technology and
constituents.
• Review current prevalence trends and
implications of e-cigarette use.
First things first…What are e-cigs?
1. Has a battery or power source
2. Uses an electrical heater with a heating
element or atomizer
3. Contains liquid that is aerosolized (i.e.,
vaped)
LOTs of variation in these three components.
Several generations or “types” of e-cigs
OPEN
SYSTEMS
(2nd/3rd gen,
mods)
Tank
Cartomizer
CLOSED
SYSTEMS
(1st gen,
3
“cig-a-likes”)
Cigarette
How much nicotine can they deliver?
Same e-cig liquid
used 18 mg/ml
Farsalinos et al., 2014
How much nicotine can they deliver?
23.5
Plasma nicotine
ng/ml
25
20
18.8
15
10
5
0
15.8
6.6
104.9
0 5
Ad lib e-cigarette use
20
35
TIME (min)
50
65
Farsalinos et al., 2014;
Vansickel et al., 2010
How much nicotine can they deliver?
Mod
Cig-a-like
Cigarette
Plasma nicotine
ng/ml
25
20
18.8
23.5
15
10
5
0
15.8
6.6
4.9
0 5
20
35
TIME (min)
50
65
Farsalinos et al., 2014;
Vansickel et al., 2010
What else is in e-cigarette liquid?
1. Nicotine (but some are labeled 0% nicotine)
2. PG/VG- responsible for the aerosol, a
humectant & solvent needed for colors and
flavors:
PG – propylene glycol, VG – vegetable glycerine
3. Flavorings: Tobacco, Menthol, Fruit, Coffee,
Cinnamon, Vanilla
But wait there’s more!...THC, alcohol, vitamins
What about other chemicals?
•
•
•
•
•
Tobacco-specific nitrosamines
Volatile aldehydes (Formaldehyde)
Metals
VOCs
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
HINT: It is NOT just water vapor!
• Contents VARY significantly within and between
brands and products.
Cheng, 2014
Who is using e-cigarettes?
Past 30-day use in US high
school students
13.4%
9.4%
Source: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2011 - 2014.
What about among college-aged students?
• In 2014 among 18-24 year olds nationally:
- 5.1% currently used e-cigs
- 16.7% currently smoked cigarettes
• In 2013 across four colleges/universities in NY:
- 29.9% were ever users
- 14.9% were current users: males,
current/former smokers, other tobacco users,
binge drinkers more likely to use e-cigs
National Health Interview Survey; Saddleson et al., 2015
Do e-cigs help cigarette smokers quit?
• Few randomized controlled trials.
• Observational reports vary (+ and – findings).
• Many methodological/methods differences as
well as problems.
• Factors potentially related to e-cig cessation
success:
– Nicotine delivery ability (e.g., device type)
– Intensity of e-cig use (daily/intensive use).
MORE HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH NEEDED!!
Goals for this session
• Lots of products, lots of variability in levels of
nicotine or other toxicants they deliver.
• E-cigarette use surpassing conventional
smoking in some populations.
• Role as smoking cessation aid not conclusive,
but early evidence appears promising.
Thanks for listening! Questions?