Use of Flavored E-Cigarettes Among Adolescents, Young Adults, and Older Adults: Findings From the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study on the use of flavored electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adolescents, young adults, and older adults in the United States. The study used data from the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study and assessed the types of e-cigarette flavors used by participants in these age groups. The study also compared the reasons for e-cigarette use and the correlates of flavor type use. The findings of this study can help regulatory agencies in refining effective e-cigarette regulation.

Key Points:

* The study focuses on 414 adolescent (aged 12-17), 961 young adult (aged 18-24), and 1711 older adult (aged 25+) past-month e-cigarette users.
* The PATH Study assessed the following e-cigarette flavor categories: alcohol, candy or sweets, chocolate, clove or spice, fruit, menthol or mint, and tobacco or other flavors.
* The study also ascertained 13 reasons for e-cigarette use and assessed frequency of e-cigarette use, cigarette smoking status, and current cigar, hookah, and smokeless tobacco use.
* The study found that the leading e-cigarette flavor types among adolescents were fruit, candy, and other flavors; among young adults were fruit, candy, and mint/menthol; and among older adults were tobacco or other flavors, fruit, and mint/menthol.
* Compared with older adults, adolescents and young adults were more likely to use fruit-flavored e-cigarettes and candy-flavored e-cigarettes and concurrently use multiple flavor types.
* The odds of fruit-flavored e-cigarette use were higher among female users, and the odds of mint/menthol-flavored e-cigarette use were higher among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic users.
* The odds of concurrent use of multiple flavor types were higher among adolescent and young adult users.
* The study also found that the availability of appealing flavors was the leading reason for e-cigarette use among adolescent and young adult users.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of regulating sweet e-cigarette flavors, such as fruit and candy, to reduce the use of e-cigarettes among young persons. The study found that adolescents and young adults were more likely to use sweet-flavored e-cigarettes and concurrently use multiple flavor types, which could pose a public health harm. The study suggests that future FDA regulations that ban or heavily restrict sweet flavor types could achieve the intended public health goal of reducing e-cigarette use among young persons without substantially burdening adult e-cigarette users. Additionally, state and local efforts, such as sales restrictions on flavored e-cigarettes, could complement federal regulatory policies.

Soneji, Samir S., Kristin E. Knutzen, and Andrea C. Villanti. “Use of Flavored E-Cigarettes Among Adolescents, Young Adults, and Older Adults: Findings From the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study.” Public Health Reports 134, no. 3 (May 2019): 282–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919830967.