Brennan, Margaret M, Bowe, Andrea K, Sheridan, Aishling, Doyle, Frank, Boland, Fiona and Kavanagh, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8576-2247
(2025)
Evolution of nicotine product use in Ireland 2015–2023, and associations with quit intentions and attempts: an analysis of nationally representative repeated cross-sectional surveys.
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe,
55,
101352.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101352.
External website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Background Nicotine product use (NPU; including combustible tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes) is changing rapidly worldwide. Aiming to inform an agile policy response, this study examined NPU trends, and associations with intentions and attempts to quit tobacco.
Methods Survey-weighted prevalences of NPU (tobacco and/or e-cigarette), tobacco, e-cigarette, and dual (tobacco and e-cigarette) use were estimated from 2015 to 2023 (excluding 2020 and 2021) using seven waves of the nationally representative Healthy Ireland survey (combined N = 52,167). Associations between sociodemographic factors and NPU, as well as between NPU and quit intentions and attempts, were examined using survey-weighted regression in the 2015 and 2023 waves.
Findings Between 2015 and 2023, decreases in NPU were non-significant (24·6% (1846/7502) to 22·9% (1688/7356), ptrend = 0·120), while tobacco use decreased (22·8% (1713/7502) to 17·7% (1303/7356), ptrend = 0·012), e-cigarette use increased (3·1% (230/7502) to 8·4% (614/7356), ptrend = 0·001) and dual use increased (1·3% (97/7502) to 3·1% (230/7356), ptrend = 0·006). Among those aged 15–24, NPU increased from 19·6% (214/1095) in 2015 to 30·0% (345/1149) in 2023. In 2015, dual use was strongly associated with higher odds of quit intentions and attempts to quit tobacco, compared to tobacco-only, but this was no longer the case in 2023.
Interpretation E-cigarette and dual use have more than doubled in Ireland, while tobacco declines have slowed. The most substantial changes occurred among 15–24-year-olds. Concurrently, the link between dual use and quit intentions and attempts attenuated. These findings underscore the need for stronger e-cigarette regulation and renewed policy efforts to achieve tobacco endgame in Ireland.
B Substances > Tobacco (cigarette smoking) > Nicotine product (e-cigarette / vaping / heated)
G Health and disease > Public health
HJ Treatment or recovery method > Substance disorder treatment method > Cessation of tobacco / nicotine use
MM-MO Crime and law > Substance use laws > Tobacco / cigarette laws
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland
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