Grant: Project Grant

Vaping e-cigarettes is considered much less harmful than smoking cigarettes; however, there are indications that it is not benign. Potential health effects found in some studies include cardiovascular, respiratory disease and cancer. There is widespread agreement that switching cigarette smokers to e-cigarette vapers would yield a substantial public health benefit. But, some argue that large numbers of smokers will switch to e-cigarettes, only if they are widely promoted. Public health organizations fear that young people who otherwise would not have smoked cigarettes will become established long-term vapers with associated negative health outcomes. Ontario data indicate that 11.2% of young adults aged 18 to 24, representing 145,300 people, are past-month vapers. Unknown are the longer-term outcomes of young current past-month non-smoking vapers. Compared with non-vaping young adults: What is their progression to dependence? What are the predictors of continued vaping and progression to dependence? What is the progression of development of respiratory symptoms? We will conduct a multi-year prospective study of young adult (16-24 years) vapers and non-vapers. We will recruit a cohort of 2,500 current (past-month) vapers and 2,500 non-current vapers. Participants will be followed-up annually for 2 years, with brief assessments every 3-months. In-depth interviews with up to 20 vapers and non-vapers will inform reasons for use/non-use and trajectories over time.