According to a recent study, adolescents in the intervention group were 35% more likely to quit vaping at 7 months compared to those in the control group.
A recent study published in JAMA conducted by investigators at Truth Initiative evaluated the effectiveness of a text message-based vaping cessation program among adolescents who use e-cigarettes. The randomized clinical trial was conducted from October 1, 2021 to October 18, 2023, involving 1,503 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years (average age 16.4 years) who reported e-cigarette use in the past 30 days and expressed a desire to quit.
Participants were recruited via social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, and randomly assigned to either a text message intervention group (n = 759) or an assessment-only control group (n = 744). An additional 178 were placed in a waitlist control group but were not included in the primary analyses.
The intervention group received a tailored, interactive text message program that delivered cognitive and behavioral coping skills training and social support for vaping cessation, while the control group received only retention-focused text messages. The primary outcome measure was self-reported 30-day point-prevalence abstinence from vaping at the 7-month follow-up.
Results indicated that the text message intervention significantly increased vaping cessation rates among participants. At 7 months, 37.8% (95% CI, 34.4%-41.3%) of the intervention group reported abstinence from vaping, compared to 28.0% (95% CI, 24.9%-31.3%) in the control group, with a relative risk of 1.35 (95% CI, 1.17-1.57; P < .001). No baseline characteristics, including nicotine dependence, moderated the treatment-outcome relationship.
Additionally, in a post-hoc analysis of 1,016 participants with complete 7-month data on both e-cigarette and combustible tobacco product use, the intervention group demonstrated higher rates of dual abstinence, with 52.9% achieving abstinence from both e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco products, compared to 35.0% in the control group, yielding a significant percentage-point difference of 17.9 (95% CI, 11.9-23.8; P < .001). Notably, there was no evidence suggesting that adolescents who quit vaping transitioned to combustible tobacco products.
The study had several strengths, including a large and diverse sample size and comprehensive baseline assessments. However, limitations included reliance on self-reported abstinence without biochemical verification, potential social desirability bias due to increased program touchpoints in the intervention group, and the possibility that findings may not generalize beyond adolescent e-cigarette users interested in quitting.
The study authors noted, "Text messaging is a scalable and cost-efficient approach to delivering vaping cessation treatment on a population basis. The significant treatment effect observed in this study against this backdrop of risk factors underscores the power of a digital behavior change intervention to drive clinically meaningful outcomes."
Full list of disclosures can be found in the original study.