Concept and Question | Themes and Sample Responses |
Sources of Information about E-Cigarettes | |
1) “Where did you first hear about e-cigarettes and what did you hear about them?” | Friends: “I was with a friend at a bar. She asked if I wanted to try it because we were talking about quitting. She’s quit for over a year and only uses them at bars.” Family: “My sister, she said they were great.” Store/Retail: “In convenient stores. I didn’t hear anything except they don’t stink.” |
2) “Have you ever talked to your doctor or nurse about e-cigarettes? If you did, what did you ask them? What did they say?” | Yes/Recommendation: “Yes, I asked what they knew about safety. They did not know much, but agreed it was worth trying. Very supportive.” Yes/No Recommendation: “Yes but they did not know much about them.” No: “No I have not talked to my doctor about them yet.” |
Experience Using E-Cigarettes | |
1) “What made you decide to try the e-cigarette? How did you actually use it? Did you use it as recommended? When did you plan to use it?” | Cessation Aid: “Quit smoking regular cigarettes.” Healthier; No SHS: “For health reason and the smell of regular cigarettes. Also [I want to reduce] second hand smoke around family.” Expense: “A friend uses them, and in the long run they save money. The flavors are appealing, and [e-cigarettes] don’t pollute.” |
2) “Tell me about the first time you tried an e-cigarette.” | With Friends; Talking about Quitting Smoking: “I was with a friend at a bar. She asked if I wanted to try it because we were talking about quitting.” Experiment with Other’s E-Cigarettes: “I was at work, about ready to leave. My coworker let me try hers, so I could compare the taste to a regular cigarette.” Experimented Alone: “I was alone in my car driving. To try and quit smoking.” |
3) “How much did you overlap use between the regular cigarettes and the e-cigarette?” | Frequently: “A lot. Something the e-cig wasn’t really sufficient for my craving so I would smoke a regular cigarette in between usage some days.” Sometimes: “Off and on for a week or so. I have cut back regular cigarettes by more than half since starting the e-cigarette, but not completely quit.” Never/Almost Never: “I quit cigarettes all together when starting the e-cigarette. I had a few cigarettes since, but did not enjoy them.” |
4) “How effective was it for addressing your withdrawal symptoms? Your cravings? The hand to mouth movement? Other triggers?” | Not Very: “It does seem to help, but am having a more difficult time. It is particularly difficult around smokers.” Somewhat: “It’s good for most cravings—extreme emotional triggers are harder.” Very: “Very effective. No withdrawal at all.” |
5) “At what point did you think you might quit smoking regular cigarettes completely? Did this ever happen? Do you think you will?” | No Plan: “I don’t know at what point. It hasn’t happened. I don’t think I want to quit. If I do, it will probably be winter time.” Yes/Quit in Future: “I’m working on it, someday I will [quit regular cigarettes].” Yes/Quit Immediately/Soon: “Over the next 10 days, I’ll supplement wit e-cigarettes and dropping the amount of regular cigarettes each day until I can say ‘that’s it’.” |
6) “What are the advantages of e-cigarettes over regular cigarettes?” | Smell; Impact on Others; Impact on Health: “Less odor, less offensive to non-smokers. I don’t inhale as deeply so less cough.” Impact on Health; Impact on Others: “No tar, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals that regular cigarettes have. It is far more socially acceptable.” Impact on Health: “Health has improved; improved taste/smell. I have saved money.” |
7) “What are the disadvantages of e-cigarettes over regular cigarettes?” | Inconvenience: “None other than bulkier and heavier.” “Cravings for a regular cigarette.” Concerns about Unknown: “I have no idea what sort of chemicals are in the juice which raises some red flags. I can’t compare e-cigarettes vs. regular cigarettes.” May Use More/Fewer Restrictions: “I tend to smoke it a lot more in one sitting than I would just one real cigarette.” |
8) “How does the e-cigarette compare to other resources or products you have used for quitting smoking?” | Address Habit; Reduce Nicotine over Time: “It is by far more promising. It combines the ritual, nicotine, and perceived ‘smoke’. It will allow me to slowly titrate.” Address Habit; Flavors: “The imitation (hand to mouth), blowing out vapor, and variety of flavors and is superior to other nicotine supplements.” Address Habit: “I had better results with nicotine lozenges. I’m thinking about trying those again. The e-cigarettes reinforce the oral habit which might be a bad thing.” Address Cravings: “I’m still getting nicotine in an e-cigarette. I prefer an inhibitor to craving like Chantix but couldn’t handle the side effects. E-cigarettes are much safer.” |
Social Influence on E-Cigarette Use |