The electronic cigarette (E-Cigarette) is newly introduced in Tunisia.

Aim: Assess the practices and knowledge of Tunisian vapers regarding the E-cigarette.     

 Methods:

Descriptive study based on a questionnaire posted on social networks in Tunisia since August 2022 until February 2023. The data analysis is restricted to people using or having used the E-Cigarette.

Results :

We had 111 participants who were current or former E-cigarette users,  102 of them (91.8%) were young people. Mean age was 28.7 years [15-40]. 

Eighty four participants (75.7%) were a smoker or former smoker of classic cigarettes. Forty participants (36 %) consider E-cigarette a way to quit classic cigarettes.

The average period of smoking E-cigarette were 1.7 years [1 ;3]. On average, participants used E-cigarettes 10 times per day 10 [7-25] and about Eighty participants (72.1%) find it attractive.

Eighty eight participants (79.3%) know its addictive effect, as well as Eighty four (75.7%) confirm the presence of harmful chemicals in E-cigarette.

But, Seventy three participants (65.8%) deny or do not know the role of the E-cigarette in the genesis of lung cancer and 48.6% of participants deny the presence of risk of serious respiratory side effects. Sixty three participants (56.8%) ignore the effect of the E-cigarette on the Cardiovascular system.

Conclusion

The majority of Tunisian users of E-cigarette are young. Its adverse respiratory, circulatory and carcinogenic effects are ignored by most users.