You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Brief report
Use and reasons for use of electronic vapour products shaped like USB flash drives among a national sample of adults
  1. Kristy L Marynak1,
  2. Fatma Romeh M Ali1,
  3. Gillian L Schauer2,3,
  4. Michael A Tynan1,
  5. Brian A King1
  1. 1 Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  2. 2 Carter Consulting, Inc, Contractor to Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  3. 3 Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
  1. Correspondence to Kristy L Marynak, Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; KMarynak{at}cdc.gov

Abstract

Objectives Assess use and reasons for use of electronic vapour products (EVPs) shaped like universal serial bus (USB) flash drives among adults in the USA.

Methods Data came from SummerStyles, an internet survey of US adults aged ≥18 (N=4088) fielded in June to July 2018. Respondents were shown product images and asked about ever use, current (past 30 days) use and reasons for use. Weighted point estimates and adjusted ORs were assessed.

Results In 2018, 7.9% of participants had ever used flash drive-shaped EVPs, including 25.7% of current cigarette smokers and 45.9% of current EVP users. Moreover, 2.0% reported current use, including 6.8% of cigarette smokers and 34.3% of EVP users. Leading reasons for ever use were ‘to deliver nicotine’ (30.7%) and ‘friend or family member used them’ (30.2%).

Conclusions About one in 13 US adults have ever used flash drive-shaped EVPs, with use being highest among current EVP users. Nicotine content and friend/family use are drivers of ever use.

Public health implications Understanding use of emerging EVP types can inform strategies to maximise any potential benefits for adult cessation and minimise risks of youth initiation.

  • electronic nicotine delivery devices
  • surveillance and monitoring
  • co-substance use

https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-054932

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • Contributors KLM developed the concept for the paper, interpreted the results, wrote the first draft and reviewed and revised subsequent drafts of the paper. FRAM analysed the data, interpreted the results, contributed to writing and reviewed drafts. GLS, MAT and BAK interpreted results, contributed to writing and reviewed drafts. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Disclaimer The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Not required.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.