Evaluation of Dual Combustible and Electronic Cigarette Use Versus Combustible Cigarette Use among Black Adults in Terms of Mental Health and Substance Use Problems

OBJECTIVE:The Black population experiences numerous disparities in terms of tobacco use, including lower rates of cessation success relative to other ethnic/racial groups. Moreover, there has been a rise in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in the general population, including the Black community. However, little work has sought to evaluate the impact of dual combustible and e-cigarette use among the Black population in terms of behavioral health problems. The present study examined differences in anxiety, depression, severity of drug use problems, and hazardous drinking between Black individuals who engage in exclusive combustible cigarette use and Black individuals who engage in dual use. METHODS:A total of 498 Black adults who report daily combustible cigarette use (Mage = 45.37, SD = 14.68; 51.4% female) were included. RESULTS:Analyses of covariance, controlling for age, sex, education, and income, showed that Black individuals who engaged in dual use reported statistically significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, drug use problems, and hazardous drinking compared to Black individuals who engaged in exclusive cigarette smoking. CONCLUSIONS:These findings contribute to a growing body of literature that suggests dual use represents a vulnerable clinical subgroup that may require specialized care.