Trends in transitions in cigarette and electronic nicotine vapor product use in the Rutgers Omnibus Study, 2022-2026
- 1University of Michigan
Abstract
IntroductionMonitoring transitions in cigarette and electronic nicotine vapor product (ENVP) use is important for understanding how marketplace and regulatory changes have affected product use patterns, but information from national surveys is often delayed by several years.
MethodsThe Rutgers Omnibus Study is a quarterly serial, rapid-response, web-based convenience survey. Using a Markov multistate transition model, we estimated transition rates and one-year transition probabilities between never, non-current, ENVP-only, cigarette-only, and dual use among 5,292 adults aged 18-45 who participated in at least two of Waves 1-16 (February 2022-February 2026), as well as overall transition hazard ratios by sex, age group, and race & ethnicity in a multivariable model.
ResultsAbout 40% of individuals using cigarettes (39.5%; 95% CI: 36.9-42.0) or ENVP (40.1%; 95% CI: 36.4-43.7), and 60% of those using both products (60.8%; 95% CI: 58.3-63.2) were predicted to remain in those states after one year. Female participants began using cigarettes from never use (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.44; 95% CI: 0.29-0.66) or non-current use (aHR 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.88) at lower rates than male participants. Participants aged 35-45 years initiated ENVP-only use from non-current use (aHR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.23-0.51) at a lower rate than those aged 18-34 years. Compared to non-Hispanic White participants, non-Hispanic Black participants initiated ENVP-only use from never use at a higher rate (aHR 4.39; 95% CI: 2.09-9.25).
ConclusionRapid response surveys can provide important preliminary information on tobacco use transition patterns while we wait for the slower release of nationally representative survey data.
What this paper addsO_ST_ABSWhat is already known on this topicC_ST_ABSO_LIThe use of electronic nicotine vapor products (ENVPs) has continued to evolve over time--as well as attitudes towards them--but the release of data from large nationally representative surveys often lags behind these changes. C_LI
What this study addsO_LIThe Rutgers Omnibus Study provides rapid response data on tobacco use trends. C_LIO_LITransition probabilities between tobacco use states remained relatively stable over time. Participants in this sample frequently switched between tobacco products, but those using both cigarettes and ENVPs were very likely to continue using one or both products. C_LIO_LIFemale participants began using cigarettes at lower rates than male participants, participants ages 35-45 years began using ENVPs at a lower rate than participants ages 18-34 years, and non-Hispanic Black participants initiated use of ENVPs at a higher rate than non-Hispanic White participants. C_LI
How this study might affect research, practice or policyO_LIRapid response tobacco use surveys can help fill the gap in product use trends and transitions while we await the slower release of nationally representative data, such as the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. C_LI
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BibTeX
@misc{roberts2026trends,
title = {{Trends in transitions in cigarette and electronic nicotine vapor product use in the Rutgers Omnibus Study, 2022-2026}},
author = {O. K. Roberts and M. T. Bover Manderski and N. J. Gonsalves and J. Jeon and R. Meza and C. D. Delnevo and A. F. Brouwer},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.28.26364207},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.26364207v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Trends in transitions in cigarette and electronic nicotine vapor product use in the Rutgers Omnibus Study, 2022-2026
AU - O. K. Roberts
AU - M. T. Bover Manderski
AU - N. J. Gonsalves
AU - J. Jeon
AU - R. Meza
AU - C. D. Delnevo
AU - A. F. Brouwer
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/28
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.28.26364207
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.28.26364207v1
AB - IntroductionMonitoring transitions in cigarette and electronic nicotine vapor product (ENVP) use is important for understanding how marketplace and regulatory changes have affected product use patterns, but information from national surveys is often delayed by several years. MethodsThe Rutgers Omnibus Study is a quarterly serial, rapid-response, web-based convenience survey. Using a Markov multistate transition model, we estimated transition rates and one-year transition probabilities between never, non-current, ENVP-only, cigarette-only, and dual use among 5,292 adults aged 18-45 who participated in at least two of Waves 1-16 (February 2022-February 2026), as well as overall transition hazard ratios by sex, age group, and race & ethnicity in a multivariable model. ResultsAbout 40% of individuals using cigarettes (39.5%; 95% CI: 36.9-42.0) or ENVP (40.1%; 95% CI: 36.4-43.7), and 60% of those using both products (60.8%; 95% CI: 58.3-63.2) were predicted to remain in those states after one year. Female participants began using cigarettes from never use (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.44; 95% CI: 0.29-0.66) or non-current use (aHR 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.88) at lower rates than male participants. Participants aged 35-45 years initiated ENVP-only use from non-current use (aHR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.23-0.51) at a lower rate than those aged 18-34 years. Compared to non-Hispanic White participants, non-Hispanic Black participants initiated ENVP-only use from never use at a higher rate (aHR 4.39; 95% CI: 2.09-9.25). ConclusionRapid response surveys can provide important preliminary information on tobacco use transition patterns while we wait for the slower release of nationally representative survey data. What this paper addsO_ST_ABSWhat is already known on this topicC_ST_ABSO_LIThe use of electronic nicotine vapor products (ENVPs) has continued to evolve over time--as well as attitudes towards them--but the release of data from large nationally representative surveys often lags behind these changes. C_LI What this study addsO_LIThe Rutgers Omnibus Study provides rapid response data on tobacco use trends. C_LIO_LITransition probabilities between tobacco use states remained relatively stable over time. Participants in this sample frequently switched between tobacco products, but those using both cigarettes and ENVPs were very likely to continue using one or both products. C_LIO_LIFemale participants began using cigarettes at lower rates than male participants, participants ages 35-45 years began using ENVPs at a lower rate than participants ages 18-34 years, and non-Hispanic Black participants initiated use of ENVPs at a higher rate than non-Hispanic White participants. C_LI How this study might affect research, practice or policyO_LIRapid response tobacco use surveys can help fill the gap in product use trends and transitions while we await the slower release of nationally representative data, such as the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. C_LI
ER -