Table 2

AORs of the interaction of e-cigarette advertisements and exposure to secondhand smoke in public places, on various markers of harm perception and social norms among never tobacco users and current combustible tobacco smokers separately

Any combustible tobacco smokers (n=1549)Never tobacco users (n=2465)
OutcomeExposure variableAOR (95% CI)P valueAOR (95% CI)P value
Perception e-cigarettes less harmful than combustible cigarettes or don't know the relative harmNeither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only1.69 (0.55 to 5.20)0.360.66 (0.37 to 1.16)0.15
SHS in public places only2.10 (0.75 to 5.90)0.161.10 (0.46 to 2.60)0.83
Both2.12 (0.73 to 6.21)0.171.87 (0.75 to 4.64)0.18
Believed ‘e-cigarette advertisements and promotion may make adolescents think of smoking traditional cigarettes’Neither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only0.40 (0.14 to 1.13)0.080.97 (0.56 to 1.69)0.91
SHS in public places only0.22 (0.06 to 0.81)0.020.94 (0.34 to 2.56)0.90
Both0.19 (0.07 to 0.56)<0.011.72 (0.73 to 4.02)0.21
Believed that ‘e-cigarette advertisements and promotions may make ex-smokers think of starting smoking cigarettes again’Neither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only0.80 (0.19 to 3.36)0.760.61 (0.36 to 1.03)0.06
SHS in public places only0.38 (0.07 to 1.97)0.250.40 (0.16 to 1.01)0.05
Both0.48 (0.12 to 1.92)0.300.52 (0.19 to 1.47)0.22
Supported that ‘e-cigarette smoking should be banned indoors just as traditional cigarette smoking’Neither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only1.49 (0.39 to 5.65)0.560.82 (0.46 to 1.48)0.52
SHS in public places only0.55 (0.13 to 2.27)0.400.83 (0.31 to 2.22)0.71
Both0.39 (0.12 to 1.28)0.120.65 (0.27 to 1.54)0.32
Supported that ‘e-cigarette advertisement and promotions should be banned just as with traditional cigarettes’Neither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only1.66 (0.46 to 6.03)0.440.91 (0.50 to 1.66)0.75
SHS in public places only0.49 (0.12 to 2.03)0.330.97 (0.33 to 2.83)0.95
Both0.40 (0.13 to 1.27)0.120.73 (0.30 to 1.77)0.49
Believed that ‘Seeing people smoke e-cigarettes in public makes smoking look more acceptable’Neither (referent)
E-cigarette ads only0.47 (0.17 to 1.27)0.130.56 (0.34 to 0.92)0.02
SHS in public places only0.33 (0.11 to 0.95)0.040.47 (0.18 to 1.22)0.12
Both0.24 (0.08 to 0.71)0.010.33 (0.13 to 0.84)0.02
  • Note: Because the exposure variable (e-cigarette advertising exposure) was strongly correlated with e-cigarette use status, the study populations analysed were not stratified further by e-cigarette use status. In the table above, the two mutually exclusive strata of any combustible tobacco smokers (n=1549) and never tobacco users (n=2465) were therefore created regardless of e-cigarette use status. Logistic regression analyses controlled for age, gender, race and education.

  • AOR, adjusted ORs; SHS, secondhand smoke.