Objective:

To describe the prevalence and user profile of electronic cigarettes among Spanish adults and evaluate the potential dual use of these devices with combustible or conventional tobacco in 2014 in Spain.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the Spanish adult (16-75 years old) population (n = 1,016). A computer-assisted telephone survey was conducted in 2014. The prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the use of electronic cigarettes stratified by gender, age, tobacco consumption and social status were calculated. The sample was weighted and a logistic regression model adjusted to obtain the crude odds ratios (OR) adjusted by gender, age and social status.

Results:

10.3% (95% CI: 8.6-12.4) of the Spanish adult population stated being ever users of electronic cigarettes (2% current users, 3.2% past users and 5.1% experimental users). Among current electronic cigarette users, 57.2% also smoked combustible or conventional tobacco, 28% had never smoked and 14.8% were former smokers. The prevalence of electronic cigarette use was higher in the younger population (adjusted OR = 23.8; 95% CI: 2.5-227.7) and smokers of combustible tobacco (adjusted OR = 10.1; 95% CI: 5.8-17.5).

Conclusions:

The use of electronic cigarettes in Spain is scarce and is most prevalent among young people and tobacco smokers. Nevertheless, one out of four current electronic cigarette users have never smoked. Hence, the regulation of these devices should be reinforced to avoid a possible gateway to nicotine products among never smokers.

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