Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adults: United States, 2014

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered products that typically deliver nicotine in the form of an aerosol. E-cigarettes have been marketed as both a smoking cessation tool and an alternative to conventional cigarettes.

Results from several studies suggest recent rapid increases in e-cigarette use. In light of ongoing declines in conventional cigarette smoking prevalence, it is important to understand the extent to which e-cigarettes are being used among U.S. adults, both overall and by conventional cigarette smoking status.

A new NCHS report provides the first estimates of e-cigarette use among U.S. adults from a nationally representative household interview survey, by selected demographic and cigarette smoking characteristics.

Key Findings from the Report:

• In 2014, 12.6% of adults had ever tried an e-cigarette even one time, with use differing by sex, age, and race and Hispanic or Latino origin.
• About 3.7% of adults currently used e-cigarettes, with use differing by age and race and Hispanic or Latino origin.
• Current cigarette smokers and former smokers who quit smoking within the past year were more likely to use e-cigarettes than former smokers who quit smoking more than 1 year ago and those who had never smoked.
• Among current cigarette smokers who had tried to quit smoking in the past year, more than one-half had ever tried an e-cigarette and 20.3% were current e-cigarette users.
• Among adults who had never smoked cigarettes, 3.2% had ever tried an e-cigarette. Ever having used an e-cigarette was highest among never smokers aged 18–24 (9.7%) and declined with age.