Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Smoking Among Students of Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia

Background Electronic cigarettes are devices that use a flavored nicotine solution instead of burning tobacco leaves. Since their emergence, e -cigarettes have gained popularity in Saudi Arabia, particularly among young adults. Recently, many non-smoking youths have begun to use e -cigarettes as an alternative social behavior. Recent studies have confirmed that e -cigarettes have harmful effects on the respiratory system. Approximately 48.5 million Europeans have used an e -cigarette at least once while 7.5 million Europeans currently use e -cigarettes. This study aims to assess the prevalence of e -cigarette use and possible addictiveness among Shaqra University students. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Shaqra University in 2021. A total of 290 students (18 years old and older) from Shaqra University were included in our study. The subjects were selected through simple random sampling. A self-administered online questionnaire related to e -cigarettes was used. Results Completed questionnaires were obtained from 290 students (average age of 20.2 +/- 1.8 years). A total of 58 (20.1%) of the respondents were e -cigarette users. The obtained results showed that the mean age of ecigarette smokers was 20.5 years, e -cigarette usage significantly differed between age groups ( p < 0.001 ), and the highest prevalence of e -cigarette smoking was in Shaqra Governorate (i.e., 13.1%). Conclusion It's vital to acknowledge that the capacity for addiction to e -cigarettes is comparable to traditional smoking and other nicotine -containing items. It's essential to consistently observe students and smokers to better understand the effects of vaping patterns on this specific group