Electronic cigarette and combustible cigarette use following a campus-wide ban: Prevalence of use and harm perceptions

Abstract

The current study examined changes in prevalence of e-cigarette use and perceptions of the harmfulness of e-cigarette and combustible cigarettes following a campus-wide tobacco ban. Undergraduate students completed surveys of tobacco use and perceived product harmfulness. Four samples were collected: in 2013 prior to the ban (<i>n</i> = 792) and in fall 2014 (<i>n</i> = 310), 2015 (<i>n</i> = 208), and 2016 (<i>n</i> = 417). E-cigarette use increased in the years following the ban (<i>p</i> = .01) while combustible cigarette use decreased from 2013 to 2016 (<i>p</i> = .02). Men were more likely than women to use both products (<i>ps</i> < .05). Students' perceptions of the harmfulness of combustible and electronic cigarettes remained stable in the years following the ban (<i>p</i> > .05). This study is the first to examine the impact of including e-cigarettes in tobacco free policies. Combustible cigarette use declined, but e-cigarette use increased in the years following the e-cigarette ban. Prospective research is needed to understand the long-term impacts of e-cigarette bans.