Nicotine and E-cigarette Beliefs and Policy Support among US Smokers and Nonsmokers.

Objectives: In light of the Food and Drug Administration's intention to regulate e-cigarettes, we examined the perceived harm of nicotine and e-cigarette use and the role of these beliefs on support for e-cigarette policies. Methods: A nationally representative sample of US adults (N = 1008) was drawn in January 2016 from the online probability-based panel AmeriSpeak, which covers over 99% of US households. Results: Whereas perception of harm associated with e-cigarettes was significantly lower for smokers than for nonsmokers, most respondents (80%), regardless of current smoking status, believed that nicotine is the primary disease-causing agent in tobacco products (nicotine harm perception). In multivariable analyses, believing that e-cigarettes were more harmful was associated with greater support for bans on indoor e-cigarette use, use in cars with children present, and a ban on e-cigarette sales to minors. As beliefs about e-cigarette harm increased, there was less support for a differentiated tax structure for ecigarettes relative to combustible cigarettes. Conclusions: Beliefs that e-cigarettes are harmful to health are positively correlated with support for policies to minimize e-cigarette use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]