Expectancies have been found to be robust predictors of drug
use, including the initiation of cigarette smokingdependence,
and relapse after a period of abstinence Expectancies
likely play roles in driving both the increased use of e-cigarettes
and the lack of NRT usage. Prior research shows that expectancies
for nicotine and NRT are generally less positive than for cigarette
smoking; but see). However, no study has examined and
contrasted cigarette, e-cigarette, and NRT expectancies among
e-cigarette users (“vapers”). Understanding these expectancies,
thought to be key drivers of behavioral choices, should help elucidate
why smokers switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, and
why they choose e-cigarettes over NRT. This information, in turn,
should be useful in developing interventions or messages designed
to encourage smoking-related behavior change. We expected to
find that, among this sample of ex-smoking vapers, e-cigarettes
would generally be rated more positively than both NRT and
cigarettes on domains previously found to be important for predicting
smoking.