A longitudinal study of electronic cigarette use and onset of conventional cigarette smoking and marijuana use among Mexican adolescents

Purpose: This study evaluated whether e-cigarette trial among Mexican adolescents increased the likelihood of trial and use of conventional cigarettes or marijuana use at follow-up.

Method: A school-based longitudinal survey was conducted in 60 public middle schools from the three largest cities in Mexico. Students (12-13years old) were surveyed in 2015 and followed up 20 months later (n=6574). Generalized estimating equations models were used to evaluate the association between e-cigarette trial at baseline and conventional cigarettes smoking and marijuana use at follow-up.

Result: Adolescents who had tried e-cigarettes (but not cigarettes) at baseline were more likely to have tried conventional cigarettes at followup compared to adolescents who had tried neither e-cigarettes nor cigarettes (43% vs. 24%, respectively; RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.18-1.70). We also found that adolescents who had tried both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes at baseline were more likely to have tried marijuana at follow-up compared to adolescents who had tried neither tobacco product (20% vs. 4%, respectively; RR 2.67, 95% CI 1.78-4.02). Trial of only e-cigarettes was not independently associated with marijuana use at followup.

Conclusions: Adolescents who had tried e-cigarettes were more likely to have tried conventional cigarettes and marijuana 20 months later. Although e-cigarettes have been banned in Mexico, it is likely that additional policies and public health campaigns are needed to reduce adolescent use of e-cigarettes and its consequences.