Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices Function as a Complement for Cigarillos in Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adult Women

Introduction:
This text is a scientific article published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal in 2025. The study investigates the effects of cigarillo and electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS) flavor bans on tobacco product purchasing. The researchers conducted an experiment using an online store analog, The experimental tobacco marketplace, and recruited participants who identified as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) and cisgender heterosexual women. The study aimed to compare SGM women and CisHet women on measures of cigarillo and ENDS purchasing when varied flavor policies were in effect in the ETM.

Key Points:

* The study used an experimental design with four flavor availability conditions in the ETM.
* Participants were recruited from a cohort study and through Facebook advertisements.
* The study measured nicotine dependence, sexual orientation, and other tobacco/nicotine products available in the ETM.
* The researchers conducted linear mixed models and simple linear regressions on the dependent variables.
* The study found that SGM women purchased more ENDS than CisHet women.
* The study found a complementary association between cigarillos and ENDS in which ENDS purchasing decreased as cigarillo purchasing decreased.
* The association was irrespective of flavor ban conditions and among SGM women only.

Main Message:
The main message of the study is that flavor availability of cigarillos and ENDS may not influence women who use cigarillos to move to another tobacco product. Specifically, SGM women who use cigarillos are not likely to substitute their cigarillo-smoking behavior with ENDS. This suggests that a cigarillo flavor ban, as recently proposed, may not discourage cigarillo use among young adult SGM women, who are disproportionately exposed to tobacco product advertising and a group who uses cigarillos at a high rate compared to other groups. The study highlights the need for further research to investigate potential substitution for cigarillos in this minoritized population by using other experimental paradigms and evaluation of restrictions for cigarillo flavor among localities that have implemented this practice.

Amanda J Quisenberry, Catherine C Osborn, Stephanie Pike Moore, Liane Schneller, Lovina John, Elizabeth G Klein, Erika Trapl, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices Function as a Complement for Cigarillos in Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adult Women, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 27, Issue 3, March 2025, Pages 494–501, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae197