A research study from the Faculty of Pharmacy reveals a link between nicotine dependence and anxiety and depression among Syrian university students
Nicotine addiction, particularly with the increasing spread of e-cigarette use, represents a growing public health concern among young people. Although e-cigarettes are promoted as a smoking cessation aid, recent scientific evidence indicates that they may contribute to increased nicotine dependence and promote dual-use patterns. Moreover, nicotine is associated with disturbances in mental health; however, studies examining this relationship in the Syrian context remain limited.
In this context, a research team from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the International University for Science and Technology conducted a scientific study titled:
The study aimed to:
Identify patterns of e-cigarette use among Syrian university students
Assess levels of nicotine dependence
Examine the relationship between nicotine dependence and both anxiety and depression
The study adopted a cross-sectional design using an electronic questionnaire distributed via social media platforms, targeting university students. The questionnaire consisted of 53 items collecting demographic data and information on smoking patterns, in addition to validated scientific scales, namely:
The Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC)
The E-Cigarette Dependence Scale (EDS)
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for assessing depression
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for assessing anxiety
The sample included 1,092 participants, of whom 661 (60.5%) were female.
The results showed that 376 participants (34.4%) were current or former smokers. A clear increase in nicotine dependence levels was observed among e-cigarette users. Specifically, 61% of e-cigarette users scored above 21 on the EDS scale.
The mean dependence scores were:
28.85 ± 20.1 on the EDS scale
5.8 ± 3.07 on the HONC scale
The findings also revealed:
A significant positive correlation between daily e-cigarette use and nicotine dependence levels (p < 0.0001)
Weak but statistically significant associations between nicotine dependence and:
Anxiety (p = 0.032)
Depression (p = 0.002)
The study concluded that e-cigarette use among Syrian university students is associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence, as well as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
The results suggest the need to reconsider the claimed role of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool, while emphasizing the importance of developing stricter regulatory policies and strengthening preventive health interventions targeting young people.
The study was published in Health Science Reports, a Q2-ranked journal published by Wiley in the field of public health research.