Table 2.
ECIG user-identified clusters and statements describing indicators of ECIG addiction.
| Cluster | Statement | Average Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Craving | 5.36 | |
| 20. I have cravings to vape. | 5.71 | |
| 12. I crave my vape/e-cigarette after activities like eating. | 5.62 | |
| 32. Vaping satisfies my cravings. | 5.49 | |
| 6. If I try to go a full day without vaping, I realize I want to vape all the time. | 5.44 | |
| 5. I crave the taste of vaping. | 5.22 | |
| 2. I constantly crave the feeling of vaping. | 5.04 | |
| 10. I feel the urge to vape that comes out of nowhere. | 4.96 | |
| Physical Withdrawal Symptoms | 4.22 | |
| 17. I cannot relax without my vape/e-cigarette. | 5.02 | |
| 4. I have withdrawal symptoms. | 4.71 | |
| 90. I cannot concentrate without my vape/e-cigarette. | 4.29 | |
| 69. I get headaches with my very strong cravings to vape. | 3.89 | |
| 43. My hands and arms start trembling if I have not vaped in a while. | 3.20 | |
| Negative Affect | 5.17 | |
| 8. I feel nervous and worried when I cannot find my vape/e-cigarette. | 5.93 | |
| 1. I get anxious when I cannot use my vape/e-cigarette. | 5.58 | |
| 11. I get anxious when I run out of e-liquid/pods. | 5.42 | |
| 18. I get agitated without my vape. | 5.36 | |
| 89. I get upset when my vape/e-cigarette dies. | 5.13 | |
| 71. When my vape/e-cigarette is not working I panic. | 4.93 | |
| 70. I freak out when my vape/e-cigarette is not around. | 4.76 | |
| 22. I feel depressed without my vape/e-cigarette. | 4.24 | |
| Therapeutic Effects | 4.85 | |
| 82. I feel calm after I vape. | 5.40 | |
| 92. I like the buzz and relaxed notion of vaping. | 5.33 | |
| 50. Vaping relieves my stress. | 5.30 | |
| 58. I feel happy when I vape. | 5.07 | |
| 13. After I vape, my anxiety goes away. | 5.02 | |
| 36. I feel secure with my vape/e-cigarette. | 4.80 | |
| 28. Vaping reduces my stress allowing me to enjoy my time with my family/kids. | 4.45 | |
| 57. After I vape, it feels like everything is alright. | 4.38 | |
| 24. Puffing my vape/e-cigarette is the most enjoyable part of my day. | 3.89 | |
| Attachment to Device | 4.70 | |
| 7. I vape right before I go to bed. | 5.80 | |
| 25. I need to know where my vape/e-cigarette is at all times. | 5.56 | |
| 67. I keep my vape/e-cigarette next to my nightstand or close by when I go to sleep. | 5.56 | |
| 52. I find myself reaching for my vape/e-cigarette without thinking. | 5.43 | |
| 31. I need my vape/e-cigarette with me at all times. | 5.38 | |
| 27. I always check my pocket for my vape/e-cigarette. | 5.27 | |
| 74. I need to have my vape/e-cigarette while driving. | 5.18 | |
| 63. I need to vape as soon as I wake up. | 5.16 | |
| 72. I cannot imagine a day without my vape/e-cigarette by my side. | 4.38 | |
| 44. I wake up in the middle of the night to vape. | 3.39 | |
| 55. I sleep with my vape/e-cigarette in my hand. | 2.80 | |
| 30. I have dreams about vaping. | 2.47 | |
| Vaping as a Necessity | 4.86 | |
| 46. My vape/e-cigarette is always my first choice. | 5.80 | |
| 42. I need to vape every day. | 5.70 | |
| 68. If I cannot find my vape/e-cigarette, I search frantically. | 5.33 | |
| 19. When I am someplace I cannot vape, I think about when I will be able to use my vape/e-cigarette again. | 5.24 | |
| 86. I absolutely need to vape. | 5.04 | |
| 65. I cannot go long without vaping. | 5.00 | |
| 49. I do not get as much of a buzz from vaping as I used to. | 4.98 | |
| 88. I do not see myself stopping vaping. | 4.49 | |
| 26. I have to vape constantly. | 4.47 | |
| 66. When I am out in public and my vape/e-cigarette is at home, it is all I can think about. | 4.47 | |
| 61. I have to vape soon after I eat anything, otherwise my stomach does not feel settled. | 4.40 | |
| 23. I cannot live without my vape/e-cigarette. | 4.27 | |
| 91. I think about vaping all the time. | 4.02 | |
| Impact on Daily Activity | 4.55 | |
| 80. I do not leave my home without my vape/e-cigarette. | 5.91 | |
| 21. If I leave my home and I realize I forgot my vape/e-cigarette, I have to go back and get it. | 5.42 | |
| 85. Vaping is a huge part of my daily rituals. | 5.31 | |
| 45. I want to vape at work. | 5.30 | |
| 81. I need to vape while I have been drinking. | 5.18 | |
| 84. I take breaks from what I am doing to vape. | 5.00 | |
| 41. When I am driving and I have no more e-liquid/pod refills I feel like I have to stop somewhere immediately for refills. | 4.40 | |
| 56. I vape all the time if it is not prohibited. | 4.27 | |
| 29. I normally do not need to take breaks at work, but now I do so I can hit my vape/e-cigarette. | 4.25 | |
| 60. I cannot keep myself from using my vape/e-cigarette after I have brushed my teeth for the night, which is causing tooth decay. | 4.09 | |
| 9. I will use disgusting, burnt coils if I cannot get a new one quickly enough. | 4.02 | |
| 39. I search the internet for stuff about vaping. | 3.69 | |
| 40. If I am not allowed to vape somewhere, I am less likely to go there. | 3.60 | |
| 53. My life revolves around me vaping. | 3.23 | |
| Preparedness | 4.70 | |
| 79. When I travel, I always make sure I pack my vape/e-cigarette supplies with me. | 5.98 | |
| 77. I always make sure I have e-liquid/pods. | 5.53 | |
| 93. I make sure my battery is charged at all times. | 5.51 | |
| 37. I am always aware of how much e-liquid/how many pods I have. | 5.49 | |
| 47. I go through e-liquid/pods very quickly. | 4.98 | |
| 54. I always have e-liquid/pods on my shopping list and I will not forget it. | 4.67 | |
| 35. I try to go places where I am allowed to vape. | 4.00 | |
| 62. If I do not have money to buy vape/e-cigarette products, I will do whatever I can to get money so I can buy the products. | 3.98 | |
| 38. I keep multiple vapes/e-cigarettes charged so I always have one available. | 3.51 | |
| 75. I will buy a disposable vape/e-cigarette if mine is not charged. | 3.36 | |
| Shame or Embarrassment | 3.87 | |
| 16. I love vaping, though I wish I did not. | 5.09 | |
| 51. I vape in locations I should not. | 4.86 | |
| 48. I get excited about going to the store for e-liquid/pods and vape accessories. | 4.66 | |
| 83. I hide in the bathroom to vape in secret. | 4.07 | |
| 59. I cannot enjoy activities without my vape/e-cigarette. | 3.91 | |
| 87. I conceal my vaping when in public. | 3.84 | |
| 3. I do not want my friends and family to know how often I vape. | 3.71 | |
| 14. I look forward to times that I can stay in and vape all night. | 3.64 | |
| 64. I like to try new flavors daily. | 3.56 | |
| 34. I often unintentionally skip meals because vaping tricks my brain into thinking I have eaten. | 3.42 | |
| 73. I have cried when I think about how addicted I am to vaping because I am ashamed. | 3.04 | |
| 33. I find myself talking about vaping too much with friends. | 2.59 | |
| Monetary Cost | 4.17 | |
| 15. I spend too much money on vaping. | 4.96 | |
| 78. If I do not have money to buy e-liquid/pods, I will ration out my vaping to when I am stressed. | 4.73 | |
| 76. I bought a very expensive carrying case for my vape/e-cigarette stuff. | 2.82 | |
Note. Statement numbers correspond to points in Figure 1.