Sex differences in the appeal of flavored e-cigarettes among young adult e-cigarette users.

Introduction:
This text presents the results of a study examining sex differences in the appeal of flavored e-cigarettes among young adult users. The study used a laboratory session with a Flavor (fruit vs. tobacco vs. menthol) × Nicotine (6 mg/mL vs. 0 mg/mL) × V oltage (3.3V vs. 4.3V) within-participant fully crossed factorial design. The participants rated the appeal of each e-cigarette flavor after self-administering the doses.

Key Points:

* The study found a significant interaction between sex and flavor for e-cigarette appeal, with males preferring fruit-flavored e-cigarettes, and females preferring both menthol and fruit-flavored e-cigarettes.
* The study also found that female participants reported greater e-cigarette dependence and used e-cigarettes with higher nicotine concentrations than male participants.
* Participants were recruited in Los angeles, Ca, and inclusion criteria included being 18-35 years old, using e-cigarettes at least once a week for at least a month, and English fluency. Exclusion criteria included wanting to reduce e-cigarette use, smoking cessation medication use, and pregnancy or breastfeeding.
* E-cigarette solutions were loaded into Joyetech “Delta 23 atomizer” tanks and connected to a Joyetech “eVic Supreme” battery. all e-cigarette solutions were composed of 50/50 propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, and nicotine concentration was either 6 or 0 mg/mL.
* after each 2-puff administration, participants answered three questions that assessed the appeal of the preceding e-cigarette condition, which were combined to form a composite appeal measure.
* The study controlled for smoking history, e-cigarette dependence, nicotine concentration, e-cigarette device type, and baseline reported preference for menthol-flavored and sweet-flavored e-cigarettes.
* The study found that there were no significant two-way sex and nicotine or three-way sex, flavor and nicotine interaction effects on product appeal.

Main Message:
The study suggests that there are sex differences in the appeal of flavored e-cigarettes among young adult users. The findings have implications for regulations that impact the popularity of flavored e-cigarettes among non-smoking adolescents and young adults, and the availability of less harmful nicotine delivery products that may aid adult combustible cigarette smokers in smoking reduction and cessation. The study highlights the need to consider sex differences in tobacco regulatory science and the potential impact of regulatory policies addressing the availability of flavored e-cigarettes on smoking susceptibility and transition.

Pang RD, Goldenson NI, Kirkpatrick M, Barrington-Trimis JL, Cho J, Leventhal aM. Sex differences in the appeal of flavored e-cigarettes among young adult e-cigarette users. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in addictive Behaviors. 2020;34(2):303-307. doi:10.1037/adb0000548