E-Liquid Flavor Preferences and Individual Factors Related to Vaping: a Survey among Dutch Never-Users, Smokers, Dual Users, and Exclusive Vapers.

Introduction:
This article reports the results of a survey conducted in the Netherlands on e-cigarette product characteristics and individual factors related to vaping among never-users, smokers, dual users, and exclusive vapers. The survey aimed to determine the attractiveness of product characteristics, flavor preferences, and individual factors related to vaping, such as knowledge, trust, perceived susceptibility, attitude, social influence, deliberation, and intention. The key points of the study are summarized below.

Key Points:

* The availability of various flavors was found to be the most attractive product characteristic of e-cigarettes among all user groups.
* Dual users and exclusive vapers had most often used tobacco and menthol/mint flavors when they first started vaping.
* Compared to dual users, exclusive vapers currently used more fruit and sweet flavors.
* Never-users who were interested in trying an e-liquid flavor had more knowledge about and a more positive attitude towards e-cigarettes.
* Smokers who were interested in trying a flavor had a more positive attitude towards e-cigarettes and experienced the social influence towards not using e-cigarettes as less strong than those who did not want to try any flavor.
* Individual factors related to vaping differed depending on whether never-users and smokers wanted to try an e-liquid flavor or not.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of flavors as a product characteristic that may moderate individual factors related to vaping. The results suggest that being interested in flavors has a positive effect on the decision to start using e-cigarettes or vice versa. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to help regulators decide whether and how the regulation of e-liquid flavors can improve public health. The regulation of e-cigarette flavors should ideally allow marketing of e-liquid flavors that stimulate smokers and dual users to keep or start using e-cigarettes, while reducing product appeal to never-users to prevent them from using e-cigarettes.

Romijnders Ka, Krüsemann EJ, Boesveldt S, Graaf K de, Vries h de, Talhout R. E-Liquid Flavor Preferences and Individual Factors Related to Vaping: a Survey among Dutch Never-Users, Smokers, Dual Users, and Exclusive Vapers. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019;16(23). doi:10.3390/ijerph16234661