Nicotine dependence among young adults: Comparing exclusive ENDS users to exclusive cigarette smokers.

PURPOSE: No studies of young adults have compared symptoms of nicotine dependence among exclusive past 30-day (P30D) ENDS users versus exclusive P30D cigarette smokers. METHODS: Participants at Wave 14 (Fall 2021) of The Texas Adolescent and Tobacco Marketing Surveillance System (TATAMS) (n = 2,341; mean age = 20.95 years old) who reported P30D exclusive ENDS use (n = 212) and P30D exclusive cigarette smoking (n = 46). Symptoms of nicotine dependence were measured with the Hooked On Nicotine Checklist (the 10-item HONC scale). An independent samples t-test compared average HONC scores between groups, and a Pearson (or Fisher's Exact) Chi-Square (X2) test compared the prevalence of symptom(s) between groups. RESULTS: The average HONC score was significantly higher for exclusive P30D ENDS users than exclusive P30D cigarette smokers (3.51 vs. 1.91, p ≤ 0.001). Compared to exclusive P30D cigarette smokers, a significantly higher proportion of exclusive P30D ENDS users reported having felt addicted (45.28% vs. 15.22%, p ≤ 0.001), having strong cravings (50.00% vs. 28.26%, p = 0.007), difficulty not using in prohibited places (i.e., school or work) (24.06% vs. 4.35%, p = 0.002), difficulty concentrating (21.23% vs. 6.52%, p = 0.021), and feeling nervous, restless, or anxious (28.77% vs. 10.87%, p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of nicotine dependence were elevated among young adults who were exclusive P30D users of ENDS relative to exclusive P30D cigarette smokers.

Volunteering, Health, and Well-being of Children and Adolescents in the United States.

This cross-sectional study examines whether there is an association between volunteering and well-being among children and adolescents across the United States.

Typical Sources and Locations of Marijuana among US Young Adults: Differences by Sexual Minority Status.

Background: With the widespread legalization of cannabis and use among all age groups, location and source of cannabis remains to be researched, especially among minority populations. Methods: We pooled data from the 2018-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and investigated differences by sexual minority status of where individuals obtained cannabis. Results: Results found that gay/lesbian and bisexual individuals who reported use were more likely to get marijuana from buying it, trading it for something else and getting it for free or sharing someone else's, compared to heterosexual individuals. Furthermore, more than one in five lesbian/gay individuals reported obtaining marijuana from someone they just met while nearly 25% of bisexual women reported obtaining marijuana from a friend. Conclusions: Findings from the present study may inform harm reduction and policy initiatives.

Home Smoke-Free Policies as Children Age: Urban, Rural, and Suburban Differences.

INTRODUCTION: Parents/guardians can effectively reduce tobacco smoking and secondhand smoke exposure among youth by adopting and enforcing rules against indoor tobacco smoking (ie, home smoke-free policies). We investigate home smoke-free policies from childhood to adolescence in the United States and across rural, suburban, and urban households. AIMS AND METHODS: We analyzed 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health data from n = 5,955 parents of youth aged 0-17, living at home with a tobacco smoker in the United States (U.S). Geographical categories were: rural, suburban, and urban. Home smoke-free policy reflected prohibiting tobacco smoking inside the home. Weighted logistic regressions examined the (1) association between youth age and home smoke-free policies, (2) interaction between geographic category and youth age, and (3) differing associations between youth age and home smoke-free policies by geography. Models controlled for youth race, ethnicity, sex, parental education, household annual income, and home structure. RESULTS: Approximately 13.2% of U.S. households with a smoker did not have a home smoke-free policy. Stratified analyses found one-year increase in youth age was associated with lower odds of having a home smoke-free policy in rural (aOR:0.91; 95%CI: 0.87-0.95) and urban (aOR: 0.96; 95%CI: 0.92-1.00; p = .039), but not suburban (aOR:1.00; 95%CI: 0.95-1.05) households, controlling for covariates. CONCLUSION: Odds of having a smoke-free home in the U.S. declined significantly in rural (9% per year) and urban (4%) but not suburban (0%) households. We quantify declines in home smoke-free policies as children age and identify geographic disparities for this environmental determinant of health. IMPLICATIONS: Health promotion efforts targeting secondhand smoke prevention is needed, particularly for parents of older youth. Furthermore, there is a clear geographic bias in secondhand smoke exposure among all youth particularly older youth. Tailored interventions are needed to address geographic disparities in secondhand smoke exposure among rural and urban youth.