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Nicotine Cessation: Dependency Screening

E-cigarette Dependence Scale (EDS)

Instructions: Please respond to each question marking one box per row.

Never

(0)

Rarely 

(1)

Sometimes 

(2)

Often 

(3)

Almost Always

(4)

I find myself reaching for my e-cigarette without thinking about it.          
I drop everything to go out and get e-cigarettes or e-juice.          
I vape more before going into a situation where vaping is allowed.          
When I haven't been able to vape for a few hours, the craving gets intolerable.          
Disclaimer: These questions have been validated for e-cigarette use. Consider the use of other nicotine products when determining dependence.
Dependency Scoring
  • Average Score between 0-2 = Low Dependence
  • Average Score between 2.1-3.0 = Moderate Dependence
  • Average Score between 3.1-4 = Severe Dependence

Additional Dependency Scoring Tools

References
Foulds J, Veldheer S, Yingst J, Hrabovsky S, Wilson SJ, et al. Development of a questionnaire for assessing dependence on electronic cigarettes among a large sample of ex-smoking E-cigarette users. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015 Feb;17(2):186-92. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu204
Morean, M. E., Krishnan-Sarin, S., & O’Malley, S. S. (2018). Assessing nicotine dependence in adolescent e-cigarette users: the 4-item patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMicotine dependence item bank for electronic cigarettes. Drug and alcohol dependence, 188, 60-63.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.03.029
Morean, M. E., Krishnan-Sarin, S., Sussman, S., Foulds, J., Fishbein, H., Grana, R., & O'Malley, S. S. (2019). Psychometric Evaluation of the E-cigarette Dependence Scale. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 21(11), 1556–1564. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx271
Prokhorov, A.V., Pallonen, U.E., Fava, J.L., Ding, L., & Niaura, R. (1996). Measuring nicotine dependence among high-risk adolescent smokers. Addictive Behaviors, 21(1), 117-127.