Many e-cigarette users find the variety of e-cigarette flavors appealing. We examined whether preferences for e-liquid flavors and the total number of flavors preferred differed between samples of adolescent and adult e-cigarette users. We also examined whether these preferences were associated with e-cigarette use frequency for adolescents or adults, respectively.The analytic samples comprised 1) 396 adolescent, past-month e-cigarette users from 5 Connecticut high schools who completed an anonymous, school-based survey in Fall 2014 (56.1% male; 16.18 [1.18] years; 42.2% past-month smokers), and 2) 590 adult, past-month e-cigarette users who completed an anonymous, MTurk survey in Fall 2014 (53.7% male; 34.25 [9.89] years; 51.2% past-month smokers).Compared to adults, a larger proportion of adolescents preferred fruit, alcohol, and "other"-flavored e-liquids, whereas adults disproportionately preferred tobacco, menthol, mint, coffee, and spice-flavored e-liquids (p-values < .05). Adults also preferred a greater total number of flavors compared to adolescents and used e-cigarettes more frequently (p-values < .001). Flavor preferences uniquely were associated with frequency of e-cigarette use within the adolescent sample; the total number of flavors preferred was associated with more days of e-cigarette use (ηp2 = 0.04), as were preferences for fruit (ηp2 = 0.02), dessert (ηp2 = 0.02), and alcohol-flavored (ηp2 = 0.02) e-liquids.Flavor preferences differed between adolescent and adult samples. While youth reported less frequent e-cigarette use overall, their preferences for specific flavors and the total number of flavors preferred were associated with more days of e-cigarette use, indicating that flavor preferences may play an important role in adolescent e-cigarette use.
Abstract Introduction E-cigarettes are increasingly being marketed as containing tobacco-free nicotine (TFN). There is no data examining use of TFN e-cigarettes by young adults and how use may differ from non-TFN e-cigarettes. The current study aims to characterize young adult TFN e-cigarette use and examine differences between those who report using TFN and non-TFN e-cigarettes. Method U.S. young adults (18–25) with lifetime e-cigarette use (n = 927) were recruited via online panels in Fall 2021 and answered questions about TFN and non-TFN e-cigarettes. Participants were categorized by lifetime TFN e-cigarette use status (yes vs. no; 34% yes). Bivariate comparisons examined differences in e-cigarette characteristics (device type, flavors, nicotine concentration) between the TFN and non-TFN groups. Binary logistic regression models examined associations between lifetime frequency of vaping (<100 vs. ≥100 times), and other tobacco product, cannabis, and/or alcohol use and lifetime TFN e-cigarette use (yes vs. no). Adjusted models include age, race/ethnicity, vaping onset age, and sex. Results In multivariable adjusted models, lifetime TFN e-cigarette use was associated with younger age, greater lifetime vaping, and nicotine pouch use. Young adults who used TFN e-cigarettes were more likely to report fruit, mint, menthol, and beverage flavors and know their e-liquid nicotine concentration compared with those who used non-TFN e-cigarettes. Conclusion Among young adults who have used e-cigarettes, more frequent e-cigarette use and use of nicotine pouches, which can also contain TFN, were associated with TFN e-cigarette use. Understanding behaviors and characteristics of those using TFN e-cigarettes is critical to regulation of TFN containing products. Implications This study characterizes young adults who report experience with tobacco free nicotine (TFN) e-cigarettes and compares them to those who have not used TFN e-cigarettes. Young adults with more frequent e-cigarette use and use of nicotine pouches are more likely to report TFN e-cigarette use.
Abstract Introduction The health effect of premium cigar smoking is determined by patterns of use and perceptions, which are shaped by marketing messages. The tobacco industry uses brand-owned media promotion on social media to market its product. However, premium cigar brands’ promotion of their products on social media is unknown. Aims and Methods Forty-seven premium cigar brands were reviewed. For each brand, we identified the social media accounts and examined the content of the 10 most recent posts of each social media platform to identify the marketing themes in July 2022. We also assessed the presence of age-gating and the dates of the posts. Results Of the 47 brands, 65% (n = 31) had Facebook and Instagram, 56% (n = 27) had Twitter, 21% (n = 10) had YouTube, and 17% (n = 8) had “other” (e.g. LinkedIn and Pinterest) accounts. Age-gating across these platforms ranged from 0% to 49%. Marketing themes identified from 981 social media posts included product features, alcohol, holidays, events and festivals, discounts and sweepstakes, taste, family, quality, lounges and clubs, culture, innovation, masculinity, and “other” (e.g. fundraising for charity and celebrity endorsement). Conclusions Premium cigar brands are using brand-owned social media to promote their products using similar strategies (e.g. discounts and sweepstakes) used by other tobacco industries but also using novel themes (e.g. fundraising for charity, events and festivals) to enhance engagement. Ongoing comprehensive surveillance of premium cigars’ marketing is needed on social media to inform marketing restrictions to protect public health, including priority populations such as youth. Implications This study is the first to identify that premium cigar brands are promoting their brands and products on brand-owned social media, using diverse themes and strategies to engage and appeal to the public. Age gating of the promotional content on social media was low. Findings suggest that marketing restrictions to reduce the appeal of premium cigars among youth is needed to reduce tobacco-related harm.
