Association between e-cigarette use and lung function – an analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Research indicates that conventional cigarette smoking is declining, but is contrasted by a substantial increase in the use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid that typically contains nicotine and flavors to produce an aerosol that can be inhaled into the lungs. While e-cigarette use may help with smoking cessation, public health organizations are concerned about increase in e-cigarette use and initiation of tobacco smoking among young adults and never-smokers. However, little is known about the socio-demographic characteristics of e-cigarette use among Canadian adults. Emerging evidence also suggests that use of e-cigarettes may be associated with increased risk of impaired lung function but research is inconclusive. Therefore the objective of our study is to investigate the prevalence of e-cigarette use in the adult Canadian population, identify characteristics of e-cigarette users, and examine the impact of e-cigarette use on adult lung function.