Summary
Introduction:
This article examines adolescents' awareness of e-cigarette marketing and investigates the impact of e-cigarette flavour descriptors on perceptions of product harm and user image. The study comes from the 2014 Youth Tobacco Policy Survey, a cross-sectional in-home survey conducted with 11-16 year olds across the UK.
Key Points:
* Most adolescents were aware of at least one promotional channel for e-cigarettes and that e-cigarettes came in different flavours.
* Brand awareness was low.
* E-cigarettes were perceived as harmful, but this was moderated by product flavours.
* Fruit and sweet flavours were perceived as more likely to be tried by young never smokers than adult smokers trying to quit.
* Awareness of e-cigarette promotion was high, but awareness of e-cigarette branding was low.
* Participants were asked about the absolute harm of e-cigarettes, rather than harm relative to tobacco cigarettes, and e-cigarettes were generally seen as harmful.
* The study suggests that non-smokers are not currently being drawn into using e-cigarettes, but there is a need to monitor the situation as both the market and regulatory environment develops and changes.
Main Message:
The main message of the study is that there is a need to monitor the impact of future market and regulatory change on youth uptake and perceptions of e-cigarettes. While the study suggests that non-smokers are not currently being drawn into using e-cigarettes, the potential influence of e-cigarette promotion on children and the role of aspects of product design, such as flavourings, require further research. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of clear and consistent information about e-cigarette products and product harm, including their relative harm compared with tobacco cigarettes, to help adolescents make informed decisions about e-cigarette use.
Citation
Ford, Allison, Anne Marie MacKintosh, Linda Bauld, Crawford Moodie, and Gerard Hastings. “Adolescents’ Responses to the Promotion and Flavouring of e-Cigarettes.” International Journal of Public Health 61, no. 2 (March 2016): 215–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0769-5.
