A recent cohort study published in the Journal of American Medical Association uncovered a distressing association between the use of tobacco products and suicidal behaviors. This study among the pre-adolescent children in the United States spanned from September 2022 to September 2023 and analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study which comprised a total of 11,868 children aged 9 and 10 years old.
Despite the young age of the participants, the use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping has been rising. This surge in tobacco product usage has been linked to an increased risk of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SAs) among these children.
The study utilized data that were collected through youth reports and hair toxicologic tests and found that children who reported using tobacco products were at a significantly higher risk of suicidal behaviors. Over three years of follow-up, children acknowledging tobacco product use were found to be three to five times more likely to engage in suicide attempts compared to their non-using counterparts. This heightened risk persisted even after adjusting for various suicide risk factors and potential confounders. Negative urgency was observed to be a significant independent risk factor for suicide attempts among these young tobacco users.
This research highlights that this risk extends beyond traditional cigarette smoking to include a range of tobacco products by underlining the urgent need for further investigation and preventive measures. Continued research efforts are imperative to illuminate the underlying mechanisms that drive this association and to safeguard the mental well-being of the youngest members of society.
Source:
Lee, P. H., Tervo-Clemmens, B., Liu, R. T., Gersten, M. B., Jung, J.-Y., Janes, A. C., & Gilman, J. (2024). Use of Tobacco Products and Suicide Attempts Among Elementary School–Aged Children. In JAMA Network Open (Vol. 7, Issue 2, p. e240376). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.0376