Dual and poly-nicotine and tobacco use among adolescents in the United States from 2011 to 2022

Abstract

Background: Adolescent nicotine and tobacco product use remains common despite declining smoking rates in the United States, likely due to the emergence of novel products. Concurrent use of multiple products may increase the risk of nicotine dependency and subsequent substance use.

Aim: To identify patterns and trends of dual and poly nicotine and tobacco use among adolescents in the US and explore associations of dual and poly nicotine and tobacco use with sociodemographic factors.

Methods: 12 years of annual National Youth Tobacco Survey data (2011-2022) from 242,637 respondents were used to examine prevalence trends of different combinations of nicotine or tobacco product use among adolescents in the US using weighted point estimates for each year. Poisson regression models examined sociodemographic factors associated with different patterns of dual and poly-product use from 2011 to 2022.

Results: Overall, the prevalence of dual (i.e. at least two products) and poly (i.e. at least three products) use decreased between 2011 and 2021 (from 9.5 % to 2.8 % and from 5.1 % to 1.1 %, respectively), but showed signs of increase between 2021 and 2022 (3.7 % for dual and 1.7 % for poly use). The most common combinations included a combustible product with either a novel or noncombustible product. The risk for dual and poly-product use was higher among non-Hispanic Whites, males, and high school students.

Conclusions: Previously declining trends in the prevalence of tobacco/nicotine dual and poly use may have been reversed. Close monitoring and targeted tobacco control policies are essential to tackle multiple product use among adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent; Dual use; Nicotine; Poly-tobacco use; Smoking; Tobacco.