Key result
College student e-cigarette use declined to ~19% in 2023 alongside drops in traditional smoking.
Why the study?
Tobacco use among young adults remains a public health concern, and understanding trends in tobacco and e-cigarette use may inform future education and intervention strategies.
Cross-Sectional (n=8,143)
No
Self-reported tobacco and e-cigarette consumption among college students decreased over a 5-year period, alongside increased awareness of e-cigarette addictiveness and lack of efficacy for smoking cessation.
University survey trends in student tobacco use leave open questions on intervention targets; larger prospective studies needed before guiding policy.
Background/Objectives: Tobacco use among young adults remains a public health concern. Understanding trends in tobacco and e-cigarette use may help inform future education and intervention strategies. This survey aims to assess tobacco and e-cigarette use and related perceptions over a 5-year period. Methods: A validated 33-item questionnaire was sent to students at a Midwestern university in Fall 2018, 2020, and 2023. The survey assessed tobacco use, e-cigarette use, and perceptions. Results: A total of 8143 student responses were collected over the 5-year period. A total of 3850 students participated in 2018, 1743 in 2020, and 2550 in 2023. Current traditional cigarette use declined over time (6.1%, 3.2%, 4.2%, respectively), while e-cigarette use decreased but remained the most common product (22.9%, 23.1%, 18.8%, respectively). Disagreement with the statements that imply e-cigarettes are a safe or effective option to quit smoking, and agreement with the stance that e-cigarettes are addictive, all increased during the 5-year period. Conclusions: These survey findings suggest a decrease in self-reported tobacco and e-cigarette consumption over the 5-year study period. Continued surveillance of local alongside national and global systems remains essential to determine whether specific sub-populations mirror the broader use patterns.
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Kelsh et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Tobacco and e-cigarette use (n=8,143). Survey year (2018, 2020, 2023) was evaluated on Tobacco and e-cigarette use and perceptions. Self-reported e-cigarette use among college students decreased from 22.9% in 2018 to 18.8% in 2023, while traditional cigarette use declined from 6.1% to 4.2% over the same 5-year period.
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