BACKGROUND: As the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless nicotine products has increased among Danish youth, so has the proportion of youth wishing to quit or having already attempted to quit. To better adapt cessation services – traditionally focused on cigarettes – to youth wanting to quit newer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches, it is essential to understand their reasons for quitting and whether reasons vary across different products.
METHODS: In a cross-sectional study using age- and gender-weighted questionnaire data, 2,228 youth aged 15-29 years were included. Differences in self-reported reasons across products used (cigarettes, smokeless nicotine products and e-cigarettes) were assessed using logistic regression. Interaction analysis was conducted to examine how quit success modified the association between product type and reasons to quit, also using logistic regression. Additionally, analyses stratified by quit success were performed.
RESULTS: ‘Thoughts about health’ and ‘Don’t want to be addicted’ were the most common reasons to quit cigarettes, smokeless nicotine products and e-cigarettes, though prevalences varied across product types. Among youth who had attempted to quit cigarettes and smokeless nicotine products, ‘Due to economics’ was the third most common reason, while ‘Switching to another product’ was the third most common reason for those who had attempted to quit e-cigarettes. Quit success significantly modified the association between product type and reporting ‘People I know privately’ as a reason for quitting.
CONCLUSIONS: People working with youth in nicotine cessation should accommodate health and addiction concerns in their counseling but be aware of different reasons for quitting different products. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural factors influencing these findings.