E-cigarette Marketing and Older Smokers: Road to Renormalization

Introduction:
This text is a study on the perceptions and use of e-cigarettes among older adults. It explores their understanding of the risks and benefits associated with e-cigarettes, their responses to marketing, and their knowledge of and opinions about regulation of e-cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The study consisted of eight focus groups with 8 to 9 participants each, who were current or former smokers over the age of 45.
* Participants were familiar with e-cigarettes and many planned to try them, often seeing them as a way to circumvent no-smoking policies.
* Participants were cynical about the health benefits and consequences of e-cigarettes, despite marketing messages promoting them as a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes.
* The lack of government warnings about e-cigarettes was seen as an endorsement of their safety.
* Participants did not express an interest in flavors for e-cigarettes, associating them with youth and children.
* The perceived benefits of e-cigarettes included cost and the potential for use as a cessation aid.
* There was confusion about the cost-effectiveness of e-cigarettes, with some perceiving them as expensive and others as less expensive than conventional cigarettes.
* Participants were not asked specifically about vaporizers, but they made the distinction that e-cigarettes are "for nicotine only" and look like "real cigarettes," while vaporizers "can use liquids other than nicotine" and "look less like a cigarette."

Main Message:
The study highlights the need for further research on older adults' perceptions of e-cigarettes and their risk and benefit perceptions. It also emphasizes the importance of clear and accurate marketing and regulation of e-cigarettes to ensure that consumers are informed about their potential risks and benefits. The text also suggests that older adults may be a vulnerable population when it comes to e-cigarette marketing and regulations, and further studies are needed to understand their unique needs and experiences.

Cataldo, Janine K., Anne Berit Petersen, Mary Hunter, Julie Wang, and Nicolas Sheon. “E-Cigarette Marketing and Older Smokers: Road to Renormalization.” American Journal of Health Behavior 39, no. 3 (May 1, 2015): 361–71. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.39.3.9.