Farsalinos Konstantinos, Diamantopoulou Eleni, Agapitou Theoni, Trikilis Giannis, Barbouni Anastasia
Department of Public and Community Health (Former National School of Public Health), University of West Attica, Alexandras 196, 11521, Athens, Greece.
Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26500, Rio, Greece.
Intern Emerg Med. 2025 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s11739-025-04029-8.
To understand the population impact of heated tobacco products (HTPs), examining the profile of their users is crucial. This study aimed to assess characteristics, patterns of HTP use, and biochemically verified smoking status of customers visiting specialized HTP stores in Greece. Two specialized stores selling IQOS HTPs were randomly selected in Athens. Researchers recruited consecutive adult customers purchasing products for personal use during store visits. Current smoking status was determined by measuring exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO), with ≥ 7 ppm classifying participants as current smokers. A questionnaire explored demographics, past and current smoking history, HTP use patterns, and dependence indicators. A total of 373 HTP users participated. The vast majority (98.1%) had a smoking history prior to HTP initiation. Former smokers represented 67.8% of the study sample, defined based on self-report and having eCO < 7 ppm, with 90.1% of them reporting they had quit with the use of HTPs. Current smokers represented 30.3% of the sample and reported a 50% median reduction in daily cigarette consumption post-HTP use initiation. Never-smokers represented 1.9% of the sample, all of whom had eCO ≤ 3 ppm. Daily HTP use was the predominant pattern of use in both groups, but was more prevalent among former smokers. Most participants perceived HTPs as less harmful than cigarettes. From logistic regression analysis, factors associated with being a former smoker were HTP use duration (OR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.09) and daily HTP use (OR: 6.93, 95% CI 1.93-24.92). Customers of specialized HTP stores in Greece were predominantly individuals with a history of smoking. A substantial proportion was biochemically verified former smokers and reported they had quit with the help of HTPs. Use by never-smokers was rare in this retail setting, and did not lead to subsequent smoking.
为了解加热烟草制品（HTP）对人群的影响，研究其使用者特征至关重要。本研究旨在评估希腊专门销售HTP的商店顾客的特征、HTP使用模式以及经生化验证的吸烟状况。在雅典随机选择了两家销售IQOS HTP的专卖店。研究人员招募了在店内购买个人使用产品的成年顾客。通过测量呼出一氧化碳（eCO）来确定当前吸烟状况，eCO≥7 ppm的参与者被归类为当前吸烟者。通过问卷调查了解人口统计学特征、过去和当前吸烟史、HTP使用模式以及成瘾指标。共有373名HTP使用者参与。绝大多数（98.1%）在开始使用HTP之前有吸烟史。根据自我报告且eCO<7 ppm定义，既往吸烟者占研究样本的67.8%，其中90.1%报告称他们借助HTP戒烟成功。当前吸烟者占样本的30.3%，报告称开始使用HTP后每日香烟消费量中位数减少了50%。从不吸烟者占样本的1.9%，他们的eCO均≤3 ppm。两组中每日使用HTP都是主要的使用模式，但在既往吸烟者中更为普遍。大多数参与者认为HTP比香烟危害小。从逻辑回归分析来看，与既往吸烟者相关的因素是HTP使用时长（比值比：1.06，95%置信区间1.02 - 1.09）和每日使用HTP（比值比：6.93，95%置信区间1.93 - 24.92）。希腊专门销售HTP的商店顾客主要是有吸烟史的人。相当一部分人经生化验证为既往吸烟者，并报告称他们借助HTP戒烟成功。在这种零售环境中，从不吸烟者使用HTP的情况很少见，且未导致后续吸烟。
