Association between preference for using alcohol beverage-named e-liquids and alcohol use among high school youth

Abstract

Background: There are thousands of e-liquid flavors available, and some are named after alcohol beverages (e.g., “pina colada”). It is unclear whether use of e-liquids with alcohol beverage names is associated with adolescent alcohol use. E-cigarettes and alcohol are co-used in adolescents; therefore, it is important to investigate these associations.

Methods: Eight Southeastern Connecticut high schools were surveyed in Spring 2015 (N = 7045). We examined the association between preference for using e-liquid flavors and alcohol drinking status (i.e., no past month alcohol use, past month alcohol use but no binge drinking, and past month binge drinking) in ever e-cigarette users (N = 1311).

Results: Among ever e-cigarette users who preferred using e-liquids with alcohol beverage names (N = 111), 30.6 % had no past month alcohol use, 19.8 % had past month alcohol use but did not binge drink in the past month, and 49.5 % binge drank in the past month. Multinomial logistic regression (controlling for demographics and including other e-cigarette flavors that were highly endorsed, i.e., fruit and candy) revealed that the preferences of alcohol beverage-named-e-liquid (OR: 2.84, CI: 1.70–4.75) and fruit flavored e-liquids (OR: 1.55, CI: 1.14–2.11), but not candy flavored e-liquids was associated with past-month binge drinking compared to no past-month alcohol use.

Conclusion: This evidence suggests that the preference for using alcohol beverage- and fruit-named e-liquid flavors is associated with past-month binge drinking among adolescents. Understanding the associations between alcohol beverage-named e-liquids and alcohol use in adolescents may help inform tobacco regulatory strategies that aim to decrease the use/appeal of e-cigarettes.

Publisher

Elsevier

Publication Date

4-1-2020

Publication Title

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107903

Keywords

E-cigarette, Adolescents, Alcohol, Flavors

Language

English

Format

text

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