E-cigarettes an evidence update A report commissioned by Public Health England

E-cigarettes: an evidence updateExperimentation increased with age: 2.9% of 11-year olds and 20.2% of 18-year oldshad tried EC. In comparison, among 11-year olds, 3.9% had tried cigarettes (0.7%current smokers), whereas 40.9% of 18-year olds had tried cigarettes (14.3% currentsmokers).Use of EC was very closely linked with smoking status. Among never smokers, 0.3%used EC monthly or more often, compared with 10.0% of ever smokers and 19.1% ofcurrent smokers. The majority of EC users had tried tobacco cigarettes first (Table 2).Table 2: E-cigarette use among young peopleSourceEvertriedASH Smokefree GB youthsurvey (11-18 years) 1(2015 – March)Use morethan /atleast oncea monthUse morethan oncea weekUse (atleastmonthly)in neversmokersThose usinge-cigaretteswho hadtriedtobaccofirst12.7% 1.9% 0.5% 0.1% 63.7%Health Behaviour in SchoolagedChildren, Wales (11-16years)(Nov 2013 – Feb 2014) [18] 2 12.3% 1.5% NotCHETS Wales survey(10—11 year olds)[19] 20145.8% NotreportedreportedNotreported0.3% NotreportedNotreportedNotreportedSALSUS Scotland survey(15 and 13 year olds)[20]2013/201412% 0.4% 0% 0% Notreported1 For question on e-cigarette categories please see Appendix B. Use more than/ at least once a month excludesthose using more than once a week who are reported separately2N=9055, use defined as at least monthlySimilar findings have been observed in Scotland. A national survey carried out in 283schools across Scotland in late 2013/early 2014 involved more than 33,000schoolchildren aged 13 and 15 years old [20]. Seven per cent of 13-year olds, and 17%of 15-year olds, had ever used an EC. Trial was associated with smoking status – 4% ofnever smokers had tried EC (3% trying them once and 1% having tried a few times)compared with 24% of ever smokers, 39% of ex-smokers, 46% of occasional smokersand 66% of regular smokers. Eleven per cent of regular smokers and 6% of occasionalsmokers reported using e-cigarettes at least monthly.Very similar findings have been reported from a survey in Wales (Table 2). A survey ofsecondary schoolchildren was carried out under the auspices of the Health Behaviour of32