Smoking and E-smoking among Students of LSMU – Frequency, Pattern and Reasons

The aim of this research is to find out the prevalence, habits and causes of smoking conventional and electronic cigarettes among LSMU students. The objectives of the study: 1. Compare the prevalence of smoking conventional and electronic cigarettes among LSMU students. 2. Determine the smoking habits of conventional and electronic cigarettes among LSMU students. 3. Identify the reasons contributing to the prevalence of smoking electronic cigarettes among LSMU students. Materials and methods: The study included 1128 (1435 questionnaires were submitted, response rate 78.6%) students of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU). They received a questionnaire from the Young People E-Smoking Study (YUPESS). 29 questions relating to the work topic were selected. The work analyses the overall data, determines the prevalence of smoking among LSMU students, which cigarettes they prefer, and which cigarettes (electronic or conventional) they had tried first. We compare the duration, frequency and the number of smoked cigarettes per day between tobacco smokers and e-smokers. It is analyzed whether respondents tried to give up smoking and if they succeeded, whether they used aids. The difference in nicotine content between e-smokers and dual smokers is also assessed. We examine the reasons for choosing electronic cigarettes, the device itself and the liquid flavor, as well as the circumstances, which cause students to smoke. It is determined how many of the respondents believe that e-cigarettes can cause addiction, and how many subjects consider themselves dependent on them. We analyze the number of the respondents, who consider e-cigarettes safe, and assess their opinion on the ban on smoking electronic cigarettes in public places. We ask whether e-smokers would offer e-cigarettes to others as an alternative. The statistical analysis is performed using the “IBM SPSS Statistics”. Results: When comparing the prevalence of smoking, statistically there was a significantly larger number of non-smokers than tobacco smokers, e-smokers or dual smokers (p<0.001) and significantly less e-smokers than tobacco smokers (p<0.001). Statistically, more women than men were conventional cigarette smokers or non-smokers (p=0.001). The choice of the first cigarette (conventional or electronic) was also significantly higher in the women's group (p<0.001). The duration of smoking for e-smokers was shorter than for tobacco smokers (p=0.091) and statistically there was no significant difference in the frequency of smoking (p=0.802). The number of smoked electronic cigarettes per day was higher than that of conventional cigarettes (p<0,001). 42.7% of the respondents tried to give up conventional cigarettes and the majority (86.6%) did not use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). One respondent (2.5%) tried to quit smoking e-cigarettes and he also did not use NRT. Reasons for choosing an electronic cigarette were the original taste (35.2%), recommendations from family or friends (16.2%) and the desire to try something new (13.5%). In most cases, the respondents used e-cigarettes at parties (44.1%). 69.1% (65.0% of e-smokers and 69.3% of non-smokers) considered that e-cigarettes were addictive (p=0.189). Only 4.0% (of whom 31.1% were e-smokers and 68.9% were not) of students thought e-cigarettes were safe for health (p=0.009). 52.3% (99.7% of non-smokers and 0.3% of e-smokers) thought that the use of e-cigarettes in public spaces should be banned (p