The role of electronic cigarette use for quitting or reducing combustible cigarette use in the 30s: Longitudinal changes and moderated relationships

General and Specific Risk and Protective Factors for Cigarette and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Use

Electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS or e-cigarette) use is at least as common as cigarette use among today's young adults. However, most prevention approaches are based on risk and protective factors (RPFs) that were identified with respect to cigarette use alone. To the extent that RPFs differ for cigarette and ENDS use, tailored approaches are needed to reduce the burden of nicotine use. In the current study, we examined both shared general RPFs and substance-specific RPFs across a developmental period spanning early adolescence to young adulthood, with the goal of identifying upstream preventive intervention targets for cigarette and ENDS use. The current study used data from the Community Youth Development Study (n = 4407) collected at 7 time points from early adolescence (age 12) through young adulthood (age 26). Using longitudinal structural equation modeling, we examined the contributions of adolescent and young adult RPFs to young adult cigarette and ENDS use. We examined general protective factors (e.g., family bonding and peer opportunities for prosocial involvement), cigarette-specific risk (e.g., friends' cigarette use and permissive community norms), and peer polysubstance use. General protective factors assessed in early adolescence had an indirect association with young adult cigarette and ENDS use, mediated through later RPFs. Whereas both cigarette-specific RPFs and peer polysubstance use predicted ENDS use in young adulthood, only cigarette-specific RPFs were related to cigarette use in young adulthood. Our findings suggest that, although addressing known RPFs holds value for preventing ENDS use, additional prevention targets should also be considered. Early prevention approaches might seek to strengthen protective factors, whereas later prevention approaches might target cigarette beliefs for cigarette use and peer polysubstance use for ENDS use.

Vaping and tumor metastasis: current insights and progress

Tumor metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality and remains a major hurdle in cancer treatment. Traditional cigarette smoking has been extensively studied for its role in promoting metastasis. However, the impact of e-cigarette (e-cig) on cancer metastasis is not well understood despite their increasing popularity as a supposedly safer alternative. This mini review synthesizes current literature on the effects of e-cig on cancer metastasis, focusing on the processes of dissemination, dormancy, and colonization. It also incorporates recent findings from our laboratory regarding the role of e-cig in tumor progression. E-cig exposure enhances metastatic potential through various mechanisms: it induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increasing cell migratory and invasive capabilities; promotes lymphangiogenesis, aiding tumor cell spread; and alters the pre-metastatic niche to support dormant tumor cells, enhancing their reactivation and colonization. Furthermore, e-cig induce significant epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, which regulate genes involved in metastasis. Our data suggest that e-cig upregulate histone demethylases like KDM6B in macrophages, impacting the TME and promoting metastasis. These findings underscore the need for further research to understand the long-term health implications of e-cig use and inform public health policies to reduce e-cig use.

Adult Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Use in the USA: a Scoping Review Through a Health Equity Lens

Purpose of Review

The objective of this scoping review is to use a health equity lens to understand the extent and type of evidence that exists about the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) based on socioecological understandings of health influences (i.e., the US National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities' (NIMHD) Research Framework). The research question guiding the review was as follows: What is the range and scope of research that exists to help characterize health disparities related to ENDS use?

Recent Findings

Ninety-eight articles published between 2019 and 2022 often examined racial/ethnic differences in ENDS use; however, other demographic characteristics, domains of influence across the life course, and levels of influence beyond individuals were rarely considered. As most studies were derived from large-scale, cross-sectional US national surveys, few longitudinal studies or intervention trials were published.

Summary

The use of the NIMHD framework to analyze recent literature helped identify research patterns and gaps that may be important to recognize for optimizing population health strategies to advance health equity. Future research on non-individual level factors influencing ENDS, interventions to effectively use ENDS for combustible cigarette cessation, and subpopulations susceptible to dual use may enhance existing science. Monitoring research using the NIMHD research framework can help researchers and policy makers to identify and when appropriate, prioritize support for overlooked but important research questions.

Does Quit Smoking Desire Influence E-Cigarette Smoking Behaviour? Malaysian Perspectives

Recent years have witnessed an emerging trend of e-cigarette smoking in Southeast Asia. On the basis of Malaysian perspectives, this cross-sectional study explored the relationship between e-cigarette smoking behaviour and variables such as perceived health benefit, the desire to quit, social acceptance, social impact and product usefulness. Individuals aged 17 years old and older were recruited via purposive convenience sampling, yielding a total sample of 503 respondents. Collected data were analysed via partial least squares-structural equational modelling. The results showed that perceived heath benefit (β = 0.19, P < 0.01), social acceptance (β = 0.23, P < 0.01) and social impact (β = 0.49, P < 0.01) positively influence e-cigarette smoking behaviour. No such effect is exerted by the desire to quit smoking (β = 0.08, P < 0.05) and product usefulness t (β = -0. 10, P < 0.05). Future studies should examine whether demographic variables affect e-cigarette smoking behaviour.