Changes in substance use among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guatemala.

Objectives: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 16th, schools had to be closed in Guatemala and went to online teaching. We sought to analyze the change in substance use among high school students in Guatemala associated with the lockdown. Methods: Data from two surveys (2019, n=2096, and 2020, n=1606) of a student cohort in private high schools in Guatemala City was used. Logistic models for past 30-day cigarette, e-cigarette, marijuana, and alcohol (including binge drinking) were used, regressing these on survey wave, while adjusting for sex, scholastic performance, high school year of student, parental education, substance use, and household member tobacco use. Results: Prevalence declined for smoking (10% to 3%, p<0.001), e-cigarette (31% to 14%, p<0.001), marijuana (4.3% to 1.9%, p<0.001), and alcohol use (47% to 38.5%, p<0.001), and binge drinking (24% to 13%, p<0.001). Adjusted models showed wave 2 associated with lower odds of using cigarettes (AOR=0.44, 95%CI=0.32-0.62), e-cigarettes (AOR=0.41, 95% CI=0.35-0.49, p<0.001), and binge drinking (AOR=0.73, 95%CI=0.59-0.89; p=0.002). Conclusion: Among Guatemalan adolescents, COVID-19 restrictions were associated with a significant decrease in smoking, e-cigarette use, and binge drinking.

Factors Associated With the Changes in Smoking and Electronic cigarette use in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis.

PURPOSE: Explore the factors associated with the changes in smoking and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and susceptibility among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We surveyed a cohort of students (7th-12th grade) from private schools in Guatemala. Baseline (May-September 2019) was conducted in-person and follow-up (June-November 2020) online during the lockdown. Separate Generalized Estimating Equations logistic models regressed current smoking (n = 3,729), current e-cigarette use (n = 3,729), smoking susceptibility among never-smokers (n = 2,596), and susceptibility to e-cigarette use among never-users (n = 1,597) on online ad exposure, visiting stores, social network smoking/e-cigarette use, substance use (alcohol, marihuana, and cigarette or e-cigarette), perceived harm of using cigarettes/e-cigarettes, sociodemographic characteristics, and survey wave. Interactions were assessed between time and ad exposures, friends smoking and e-cigarette use. RESULTS: Frequency of store visits, exposure to online ads, and the use of cigarette and e-cigarette lowered at follow-up. Online e-cigarette ads, having family and friends who smoke, and current e-cigarette use increased the likelihood of being a current smoker. Frequent exposure to online e-cigarette ads, having family who use e-cigarettes, and being a current smoker were associated with higher likelihood of current e-cigarette use. Exposure to either online ads or having friends that smoke or use e-cigarettes, increased susceptibility to using either product. Interaction results showed that high exposure to online e-cigarette ads overtime increased the susceptibility to use e-cigarettes. DISCUSSION: Exposure to online ads and friends and family cigarette and e-cigarette use increased adolescent consumption and susceptibility during the pandemic.

Chemicals in cigarette flavor capsules from Guatemala and Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The global market share for cigarettes with flavor capsules has grown exponentially over the last decade, particularly in Latin America. When smoking, consumers crush a liquid capsule in the filter that flavors the smoke. Little is known about the chemical constituents of the liquids in capsules or their potential health risks. METHODS: Based on consumer data and availability in Mexico and Guatemala, 31 flavor capsule brands were purchased (19 and 12, respectively) in 2020. Since some cigarettes included multiple capsules in a stick (up to 2) or pack (up to 4), the final analytic sample included 50 capsules. We conducted qualitative and quantitative analysis using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS, Agilent Technologies, Inc.). RESULTS: The qualitative analysis detected 296 compounds (range=9 to 67 per capsule), and all capsules contained menthol. Among the compounds detected in more than half the sample were limonene, menthone, benzaldehyde, eucalyptol and triacetin. Traces of nicotine were found in 22% of the capsules. In the quantitative analysis, menthol concentrations were 33 times greater than the next most common compound (limonene). Benzyl alcohol and vanillin were also found in high concentrations. Comparing same brand varieties across countries showed substantial variability in the concentration of menthol and other compounds. CONCLUSION: Menthol is an omnipresent constituent in capsule cigarettes, perhaps because of its anesthetizing and reinforcing addictive properties. Other compounds found are toxic, potentially carcinogenic, and may enhance addictiveness. Variance in the presence and concentrations of such compounds highlights the importance of product standards to regulate capsule content. IMPLICATIONS: This study evaluated the chemical content of capsule cigarettes from two Latin American countries that have two of the highest market shares for capsule cigarettes worldwide. Compared to other studies, our assessment included brand varieties from two countries to compare the differences in chemical content by country. Our results yield that menthol is found in all capsules, and that other chemicals found may prolong nicotine exposure and therefore reinforce the addictive properties of cigarettes.

First tobacco product tried and current use of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes among adolescents from Guatemala City.

OBJECTIVE: To assess how first experimenting with ciga-rettes or e-cigarettes is associated with current use in Gua-temala, a middle-income country with weak tobacco control and no e-cigarette regulations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed students from private schools in Guatemala City, limiting analyses to ever users (n=1 026). Multinomial logistic models regressed current product use on first product used, adjusting for sociodemographics and friends and family use. RESULTS: The most common first product used was e-cigarettes (56%), followed by flavored cigarettes (24%) and regular cigarettes (20%). At the time of the survey, 4% were exclusive smokers, 37% were exclusive e-cigarette users, 18% dual users, and 40% had ever tried either but were not current users. Compared to those who first tried cigarettes, students who first tried e-cigarettes were less likely to be current smokers (RR=0.19 [CI: 0.11,0.31]) or dual users (RR=0.26 [CI: 0.14,0.49]) and students who first tried flavored cigarettes were more likely to be current smokers (RR=1.66 [CI=1.13,2.42]). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, Guatemalan adolescents from private schools more frequently experiment and continue to use e-cigarettes than cigarettes. There is urgent need to implement e-cigarette restrictions in addition to tobacco control policy implementation.

Effects of tobacco product type and characteristics on appeal and perceived harm: Results from a discrete choice experiment among Guatemalan adolescents.

Guatemala is one of the few countries where both heated tobacco products (HTPs) and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) remain unregulated. We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) administered to 2038 high school students to assess how tobacco product attributes influence their appeal among Guatemalan adolescents. Participants were randomly assigned to evaluate 4 of 32 contrasting sets, each containing 3 packs (1 of each product type). Experimental manipulations included: product type, brand, nicotine content and flavor. Participants then indicated which product they were most and least interested in trying and would be most and least harmful to their health. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of product characteristics on choice. Product type accounted for almost 90% of variation in choices. Respondents were less interested in trying HTPs (B = -0.93; p < 0.001) and viewed them as more harmful (B = 2.77; p < 0.001) compared to cigarettes. They were more interested in trying e-cigarettes (B = 1.22; p < 0.001), which were also perceived as less harmful (B = -1.47; p < 0.001) compared to cigarettes. Products without nicotine were of more interest for trying (B = 0.14; p < 0.001) and perceived as more harmful (B = 0.20; p < 0.001) than those with. Students were more interested in trying a flavor compared to regular tobacco and among the flavors, berry was the highest rated one (B = 0.28; p < 0.001). Finally, in this country with weak tobacco control, e-cigarettes appear to be more appealing and perceived as less harmful than HTPs and cigarettes. Packaging and flavoring regulations are urgently needed on these products as they are a marketing strategy targeting adolescents.

Cross-sectional study on the awareness, susceptibility and use of heated tobacco products among adolescents in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

OBJECTIVES: Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are increasingly marketed worldwide, yet limited research on HTPs has been conducted in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) or among adolescents. Guatemala is one of the few LMICs where HTPs are available. This study examined prevalence and correlates of HTP awareness, susceptibility and use among adolescents in Guatemala. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional survey on HTP awareness, susceptibility and use was conducted among 2870 students between the ages of 13 and 17 in private schools in Guatemala City, Guatemala. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was susceptibility to future use of HTP among school-aged current and never smokers in Guatemala. We also explored awareness and use of HTPs. Multivariate binomial regression models were used to explore associations between these outcomes and both sociodemographic factors and established smoking correlates. RESULTS: Of all students (n=2870), about half were aware of HTPs (52.4%) and susceptible to future or continued use (52.4%). Whereas 8.4% of students had tried HTPs in the lifetime (but not in the last month), only 2.9% used HTPs in the past month. Independent correlates of HTP susceptibility and ever-use included: use of other tobacco products (current smoking: adjusted OR (AOR)=10.53 and 6.63, respectively; current e-cigarette use: AOR=21.87 and 10.40, respectively), moderate alcohol consumption (AOR=1.49 and 1.19, respectively), marijuana use in the past 30 days (AOR=3.49 and 2.29, respectively) and having friends who use HTPs (AOR=1.83 and 7.28, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among this sample of adolescents in Guatemala City, where tobacco control is weak, the prevalence of HTP use was low but susceptibility to future use was high. Tobacco prevention and intervention strategies for cigarettes and e-cigarettes should now also include HTPs, which tend to be used by similar adolescent populations (ie, those who use other substances or are exposed to tobacco through family and friends).