Comparing the regulation and incentivization of e-cigarettes across 97 countries.

Introduction:
This text provides a comprehensive analysis of the regulation and incentivization of e-cigarettes across 97 countries. It explores the spectrum of approaches, ranging from health protection to harm reduction, and the various regulatory and incentivization options available to governments. The goal is to inform future decisions by governments on how to approach the public health challenge posed by e-cigarettes.

Key Points:

* E-cigarette regulation and incentivization fall within a spectrum of options, from health protection to harm reduction.
* Regulation options include prohibition, component ban, regulation as medicinal products, poisons, tobacco products, consumer products, and unique products.
* Incentivization options include taxation, subsidization, and providing a financial reward.
* The study describes and compares the variety of approaches taken by 97 countries to regulate and incentivize e-cigarettes.
* The regulatory environment adopted by a country affects the availability and use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.
* Prohibition is the strictest approach, while regulating e-cigarettes as medicinal products is the second strictest.
* Other regulatory options include component ban, regulation as poisons or hazardous substances, tobacco products, consumer products, and unique products.
* The incentivization of e-cigarettes differs depending on a jurisdiction’s priorities and objectives, with options including taxation, subsidization, and rewards.

Main Message:
The text highlights the complexity of regulating and incentivizing e-cigarettes and the need for a nuanced understanding of the various options available to governments. It underscores the impact of regulatory environments on the availability and use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and the importance of tailoring policies to specific jurisdictional needs and circumstances. The main message is that informed decision-making and a deep understanding of the available policy options and their interactions are crucial for successful precision public health.

Campus B, Fafard P, St Pierre J, Hoffman SJ. Comparing the regulation and incentivization of e-cigarettes across 97 countries. Social science & medicine (1982). 2021;291:114187. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114187