E-Cigarette Sharing Behavior among College Students: An Exploratory Study

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore sharing behavior among college students who use e-cigarettes. Methods: A convenience sample of current e-cigarette users answered questionnaire items regarding sharing behavior (e.g., the number of people that have shared e-cigarettes, the settings that sharing takes place, reasons for sharing). Results: Of the 121 participants, 24% shared e-cigarettes every day and 76% shared some days. The most common setting (91%) for sharing was at social gatherings, and participants shared most often (52%) with one or two people, which happened most often (99%) with friends. The top reason (80%) for sharing e-cigarettes was to feel the effects of nicotine. Conclusions: The finds support the need to address sharing behavior in youth e-cigarette use and the need for more stringent e-cigarette policies and cessation resources.