Trends in exposure to and perceptions of e-cigarette marketing among youth in England, Canada and the United States between 2017 and 2019.

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the trends in exposure to and perceptions of e-cigarette marketing among youth in England, Canada, and the United States between 2017 and 2019. The study compares the data from the ITC Youth Tobacco and Vaping Survey and examines the channel of exposure and perceptions of ad appeal. The study also considers the impact of federal e-cigarette marketing policies on youth exposure to e-cigarette marketing.

Key Points:

* The study found that reported exposure to e-cigarette marketing among youth increased between 2017 and 2019 in all three countries, but less so in England, where e-cigarette marketing is more restricted.
* Exposure to e-cigarette marketing did not increase in prohibited channels between 2017 and 2019 in England.
* Perceiving e-cigarette marketing as appealing increased from 2017 to 2019 in Canada and the United States but not in England.
* Between 2017 and 2019, never-users' reports increased for exposure to and appeal of e-cigarette marketing.
* The study suggests some effectiveness of e-cigarette marketing bans in England and receptivity to e-cigarette marketing among youth never users.
* The study design includes cross-sectional online surveys conducted with 35,490 youth aged 16-19 from England, Canada, and the United States in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
* The study adjusted for sex, age group, country, and smoking or vaping status in the weighted multivariable logistic regression models.
* The study also tested differences in the adjusted prevalence between years, within each country, and between countries in 2019, as well as differences in the trends between countries in 2017 versus 2019.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of e-cigarette marketing restrictions in reducing youth exposure to e-cigarette marketing. The findings suggest that the restrictions in England were effective in limiting youth exposure to e-cigarette marketing in prohibited channels. However, the study also indicates that never-users are receptive to e-cigarette marketing, which underscores the need for further research and regulation to prevent youth uptake of e-cigarette use. Overall, the study emphasizes the significance of monitoring and regulating e-cigarette marketing to protect youth health.

Cho YJ, Thrasher JF, Driezen P, Hitchman SC, Reid JL, Hammond D. Trends in exposure to and perceptions of e-cigarette marketing among youth in England, Canada and the United States between 2017 and 2019. Health education research. 2022;36(6):657-668. doi:10.1093/her/cyab039