Over time, young adults are moving away from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes, according to a research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Brandon T. Sanford, PhD, and colleagues used data from the FDA Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study to analyze trends in young adult (aged 18-24) tobacco use over time. Ever-smoking prevalence decreased from 53.2% to 35.2%, while ever e-cigarette use increased from 32.0% to 52.7%. Similarly, the prevalence of current established smoking decreased from 19.6% to 6.1%, while current established vaping increased from 3.8% to 14.5%. There was an increase noted over time in the prevalence of participants with current established vaping and who were never established smokers (from 1.1% overall and 27.9% of established vaping to 8.1% overall and 56.2% of established vaping). Increases in adjusted established vaping rates were seen over time for both sexes. “These data may forecast a future in which e-cigarettes are the dominant tobacco product in the United States,” the study authors wrote.
