Evaluación de los niveles de dependencia de la nicotina en usuarios de cigarrillos electrónicos Evaluating nicotine dependence levels in e-cigarette users

Resumen

Los cigarrillos electrónicos son dispositivos electrónicos de liberación de nicotina (DELN) incombustibles que mimetizan la experiencia de fumar tabaco (Harrell, Simmons, Correa, Padhya, y Brandon, 2014). Constan de tres elementos principales: una batería recargable, un atomizador y un cartucho. Desde su introducción al mercado en el 2003, su prominencia y uso han incrementado notablemente a nivel mundial (Martínez-Sánchez et al., 2014). Los datos recientes sobre la prevalencia de los cigarrillos electrónicos en muestras europeas y americanas indican que, hasta la fecha, casi el 6,8% de adultos usa los cigarrillos electrónicos (McMillen, Gottlieb, Shaefer, Winickoff, y Klein, 2015). No obstante, esta popularidad creciente ha generado un debate en la salud pública respecto de su seguridad y efectividad como alternativa de cesación tabáquica (Yu et al., 2016).

Despite the fact that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are rapidly growing in popularity and use worldwide, there is scarce scientific data on abuse liability among e-cigarette users, and about whether e-cigarette use is related to nicotine dependence or not. The aim of this study is to explore nicotine dependence levels in a sample of experienced e-cigarette users (n= 39) and to compare them with current tobacco cigarette smokers (n=42). We conducted several face-to-face interviews in order to assess sociodemographic and dependence related characteristics in both e-cigarette users and in smokers. Adapted versions of both the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and the nicotine dependence syndrome scale (NDSS) were used to analyze nicotine dependence in each of the groups. Biochemical markers of carbon monoxide and urinary cotinine analysis were also collected. Results showed that e-cigarette users scored lower than cigarette smokers in both FTND and all NDSS subscales. Our findings extend previous research on e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction and suggest that e-cigarette users are less dependent on nicotine than current tobacco cigarette smokers. Further prospective studies are needed to better ascertain their addictiveness potential, comparing those smokers who switched to e-cigarettes from smoking cigarettes, and those who had never been tobacco cigarette smokers.