Adolescents' interest in trying flavoured e-cigarettes

Introduction:
This text summarizes a research paper on the appeal of specific flavors of e-cigarettes to adolescents. It discusses the results of a national survey of adolescents' interest in trying e-cigarettes with different flavors, and examines the impact of flavor on harm beliefs. The study also explores the relationship between perceived harm and interest in trying e-cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The study used a national sample of adolescents aged 13-17 who participated in a phone survey from November 2014 to June 2015.
* Adolescents were randomly assigned to respond to survey items about one of five e-cigarette flavors: tobacco, alcohol, menthol, candy, or fruit.
* The study found that adolescents were more likely to report interest in trying an e-cigarette offered by a friend if it were flavored like menthol, candy, or fruit.
* Adolescents believed that fruit-flavored e-cigarettes were less harmful to health than tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes.
* Perceived harm mediated the relationship between some flavors and interest in trying e-cigarettes.
* A minority of adolescents believed that e-cigarettes did not have nicotine or did not know whether they had nicotine.
* The study suggests that candy-flavored, fruit-flavored, and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes appeal to adolescents more than tobacco-flavored or alcohol-flavored e-cigarettes.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of considering the appeal of specific flavors of e-cigarettes in policy decisions. Given adolescents' interest in trying e-cigarettes with certain flavors, policymakers should consider restricting advertisements promoting flavored products in media that reach large numbers of young people. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to understand other reasons for the appeal of individual flavors, such as novelty and perceived luxury.

Pepper, J K, K M Ribisl, and N T Brewer. “Adolescents’ Interest in Trying Flavoured e-Cigarettes.” Tobacco Control 25, no. Suppl 2 (November 2016): ii62–66. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053174.