E-cigarette Advertisements Research Articles

E-Cigarette Promotion on Twitter in Australia: Content Analysis of Tweets.

BackgroundThe sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) containing nicotine is prohibited in all Australian states and territories; yet, the growing availability and convenience of the internet enable the promotion and exposure of e-cigarettes across countries. Social media’s increasing pervasiveness has provided a powerful avenue to market products and influence social norms and risk behaviors. At present, there is no evidence of how e-cigarettes and vaping are promoted on social media in Australia.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate how e-cigarettes are portrayed and promoted on Twitter through a content analysis of vaping-related tweets containing an image posted and retweeted by Australian users and how the portrayal and promotion have emerged and trended over time.MethodsIn total, we analyzed 1303 tweets and accompanying images from 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 collected through the Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis (TrISMA), a contemporary technical and organizational infrastructure for the tracking of public communication by Australian users of social media, via a list of 15 popular e-cigarette–related terms.ResultsDespite Australia’s cautious approach toward e-cigarettes and the limited evidence supporting them as an efficacious smoking cessation aid, it is evident that there is a concerted effort by some Twitter users to promote these devices as a health-conducive (91/129, 70.5%), smoking cessation product (266/1303, 20.41%). Further, Twitter is being used in an attempt to circumvent Australian regulation and advocate for a more liberal approach to personal vaporizers (90/1303, 6.90%). A sizeable proportion of posts was dedicated to selling or promoting vape products (347/1303, 26.63%), and 19.95% (260/1303) were found to be business listings. These posts used methods to try and expand their clientele further than immediate followers by touting competitions and giveaways, with those wanting to enter having to perform a sequence of steps such as liking, tagging, and reposting, ultimately exposing the post among the user’s network and to others not necessarily interested in vaping.ConclusionsThe borderless nature of social media presents a clear challenge for enforcing Article 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires all ratifying nations to implement a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Countering the advertising and promotion of these products is a public health challenge that will require cross-border cooperation with other World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control parties. Further research aimed at developing strategies to counter the advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes is therefore needed.

Exposure to e-cigarette advertising, attitudes, and use susceptibility in adolescents who had never used e-cigarettes or cigarettes

BackgroundTobacco advertisements have been banned in Hong Kong, but low intensity e-cigarette (EC) advertising can still be found in various media outlets. We investigated the associations between exposure to EC advertising and susceptibility to EC use in adolescents who had never used cigarettes or ECs, with potential mediation by attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry.MethodsThe School-based Smoking Survey 2016/17 assessed exposure to EC advertising in the past 30 days, attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry, susceptibility to EC use, and other covariates. Generalised linear mixed models and multiple mediation analysis methods were used in data analyses.ResultsAmong 7082 students (mean age 14.9 years), 28.8% reported exposure to EC advertising. Exposure was associated with being uncertain about the harm of EC use, being tolerant towards ECs, believing the tobacco industry is respectable, and being susceptible to EC use; the magnitudes of these associations increased with the number of types of advertising exposed (0, 1, and ≥ 2) (all p-values < 0.01). These attitudinal factors were in turn associated with EC use susceptibility (all p-values < 0.001). The perception that tobacco companies make youth smoke was not associated with the advertising exposure or EC use susceptibility. Of the total effects of EC advertising on use susceptibility, only 16.6% were mediated by attitudinal factors: perceived harm (3.1%), attitudes towards ECs (8.2%), and attitudes towards the tobacco industry (4.9%).ConclusionsEven exposure to low intensity EC advertising was associated with susceptibility to EC use in adolescents who had never used cigarettes or ECs. The association was weakly mediated by tolerant attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry. The government should reinforce the regulations on EC advertising to protect adolescent health.

Tactics for Drawing Youth to Vaping: Content Analysis of Electronic Cigarette Advertisements.

BackgroundThe use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), also known as vaping, has risen exponentially among North American youth in recent years and has become a critical public health concern. The marketing strategies used by e-cigarette companies have been associated with the uptick in use among youth, with video advertisements on television and other electronic platforms being the most pervasive strategy. It is unknown how these advertisements may be tapping into youth needs and preferences.ObjectiveThe aim of this 2-phase study was to examine the marketing strategies that underpin e-cigarette advertisements, specifically in the context of television.MethodsIn phase 1, a scoping review was conducted to identify various influences on e-cigarette uptake among youth. Results of this scoping review informed the development of a coding framework. In phase 2, this framework was used to analyze the content of e-cigarette advertisements as seen on 2 popular television channels (Discovery and AMC).ResultsIn phase 1, a total of 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. The resultant framework consisted of 16 key influences on e-cigarette uptake among youth, which were categorized under 4 headings: personal, relational, environmental, and product-related. In phase 2, 38 e-cigarette advertisements were collected from iSpot.tv and represented 11 popular e-cigarette brands. All of the advertisements tapped into the cited influences of youth e-cigarette uptake, with the most commonly cited influences (product and relational) tapping into the most, at 97% (37/38) and 53% (20/38), respectively.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the multidimensional influences on youth uptake of e-cigarettes, which has important implications for developing effective antivaping messages, and assist public health professionals in providing more comprehensive prevention and cessation support as it relates to e-cigarette use. The findings also bring forward tangible strategies employed by e-cigarette companies to recruit youth into vaping. Understanding this is vital to the development of cohesive strategies that combat these provaping messages.

“Don't do vape, bro!” A qualitative study of youth’s and parents’ reactions to e-cigarette prevention advertisements

IntroductionGrowing rates of e-cigarette use among youth have reached epidemic proportions. Media messages have been deployed to counteract this trend, but their evaluations are lacking. We assessed youth’s and parents’ reactions to various existing e-cigarette prevention messages. MethodsIn 2019, 12 focus groups were conducted with youth (n = 63) and parents (n = 27). Participants discussed their reactions to 9 existing messages with various topics. ResultsInformation on chemicals in e-cigarettes was seen as new and scary, but unknown chemical names created confusion. Youth appreciated novel ways to visualize health effects of e-cigarettes (parasites in the body) and nicotine’s effect on behavior (mood swings), but they cautioned that some of these effects (irritability) are not always caused by nicotine. Some participants did not know if e-cigarette companies were “Big Tobacco.” Some found it hard to argue with the financial costs of vaping, but others did not think they were too great. Participants recommended messages featuring testimonials from diverse adolescents and messages aimed at youth who are struggling with addiction to e-cigarettes. ConclusionMessages would be particularly effective if they featured real youth and did not look like adults created them for youth. Another area that is currently not covered in media messages is talking to youth who are using e-cigarettes and might be already addicted but do not know where to turn for help. These adolescents need to be referred to resources for cessation.

JUULing Epidemic Among Youth: A Guide to Devices, Terminology, and Interventions.

JUULing Epidemic Among Youth: A Guide to Devices, Terminology, and Interventions.

E-cigarette Marketing Regulations and Youth Vaping: Cross-Sectional Surveys, 2017-2019.

Increased electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among young people is often attributed to industry marketing practices; however, the effectiveness of regulations that limit e-cigarette advertising and promotions has yet to be examined. New federal legislation that liberalized the Canadian e-cigarette market in May 2018, along with differences in provincial regulations, provides an opportunity to examine the impact of regulatory restrictions on e-cigarette marketing. Repeat cross-sectional surveys of 12 004 16- to 19-year-olds in Canada, completed online in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Logistic regression models were used to examine differences over time in exposure to e-cigarette marketing and e-cigarette use, including between provinces with differing strengths of marketing restrictions. The percentage of youth surveyed who reported noticing e-cigarette promotions often or very often approximately doubled between 2017 and 2019 (13.6% vs 26.0%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.97-2.56). Overall exposure to marketing was generally more prevalent in provinces with fewer regulatory restrictions. Respondents who reported noticing marketing often or very often were more likely to report vaping in the past 30 days (AOR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.23-1.62), past week (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.22-1.70), and ≥20 days in the past month (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.11-1.81, P = .005). Provinces with low restrictions on marketing had higher prevalence of vaping in the past 30 days (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.25-1.80, P < .001), and in the past week (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.33-2.05, P < .001). Exposure to marketing and the prevalence of vaping increased among Canadian youth after the liberalization of the e-cigarette market in 2018. Comprehensive provincial restrictions on e-cigarette marketing were associated with lower levels of exposure to marketing and lower prevalence of e-cigarette use.

Impact of the Tobacco Products Directive on self-reported exposure to e-cigarette advertising, promotion and sponsorship in smokers-findings from the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys.

Advertising, promotion and sponsorship of electronic cigarettes (ECAPS) have increased in recent years. Since May 2016, the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU (TPD2) prohibits ECAPS in various advertising channels, including media that have cross-border effects. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in exposure to ECAPS in a cohort of smokers from six European Union member states after implementation of TPD2. Self-reported exposure to ECAPS overall and in various media and localities was examined over two International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation survey waves (2016 and 2018) in a cohort of 6011 adult smokers from Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain (EUREST-PLUS Project) using longitudinal generalized estimating equations models. Self-reported ECAPS exposure at both timepoints varied between countries and across examined advertising channels. Overall, there was a significant increase in ECAPS exposure [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.25, 95% CI: 1.09-1.44]. Between waves, no consistent patterns of change in ECAPS exposure across countries and different media were observed. Generally, ECAPS exposure tended to decline in some channels regulated by TPD2, particularly on television and radio, while exposure tended to increase in some unregulated channels, such as at points of sale. The findings suggest that the TPD2 was generally effective in reducing ECAPS in regulated channels. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to evaluate its role in reducing ECAPS exposure, possibly by triangulation with additional sources of data.

School-based e-cigarette education in Alabama: Impact on knowledge of e-cigarettes, perceptions and intent to try

Background and objectivesEducational programs are needed to combat the sharp rise in adolescent e-cigarette use. We assessed adolescent knowledge about e-cigarettes, perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness and intent to try e-cigarettes before and after an e-cigarette educational session. MethodsWe conducted a one-group pre- and post-test study among middle and high school students in Alabama in 2019. The intervention included a 30-minute educational session based on the Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit on e-cigarette types, contents, marketing and advertising, health effects and nicotine addiction. McNemar tests of paired proportions and multi-level, mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to analyze intervention effects. ResultsSurveys were completed by 2,889 middle and high school students. The intervention was associated with significantly increased knowledge about e-cigarettes and perceptions that e-cigarettes are harmful and addictive, and with significantly lower intent to try e-cigarettes. At pre-test, middle school students had lower knowledge, believed that e-cigarettes were not as addictive and showed higher intent to try both e-cigarettes and cigarettes compared to high school students. Groups that were associated with lower perceived harmfulness and addictiveness were: ever-users of e-cigarettes, ever-users of both e-cigarettes and cigarettes and prior users of mint/menthol flavored e-cigarettes. ConclusionsA school-based educational session was significantly associated with improved adolescent knowledge about e-cigarettes, increased the perceived harmfulness and addictiveness of e-cigarettes, and reduced intent to try e-cigarettes. E-cigarette education should be prioritized for middle school students due to lower levels of knowledge and higher intent to try tobacco compared to high school students.

E-cigarette availability, price promotions and marketing at the point-of sale in the contiguous United States (2014-2015): National estimates and multilevel correlates.

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) sales and use have increased rapidly, yet point-of-sale e-cigarette availability and marketing is understudied. We estimated changes in e-cigarette availability and marketing among tobacco retailers in the U.S., and associations with neighborhood characteristics. A national sample of tobacco retailers in the Contiguous U.S. was audited in 2014 and 2015 (n = 1,905 and n = 2,126, respectively) to observe e-cigarette availability and marketing (signs, ads, displays and promotions) and generate national prevalence estimates. Store, neighborhood and state level correlates of 2015 e-cigarette availability, price promotions and exterior advertising were analyzed using multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear models. E-cigarettes were sold at 72.0% of retailers in 2014 and at 79.2% in 2015. Price promotions increased from 11.9% to 20.2% of retailers. Among retailers that did not previously sell e-cigarettes in 2012, availability in 2015 was greater for retailers in neighborhoods with the highest proportion of Black residents (vs. lowest). E-cigarette price promotions were more prevalent in neighborhoods with more Hispanic residents, while exterior e-cigarette marketing was more prevalent in neighborhoods with more Black residents. State smoking prevalence was positively associated with e-cigarette availability, promotions and advertising. E-cigarette point-of-sale availability and marketing increased between 2014 and 2015 and expanded to neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Black residents between 2012 and 2015. Retailers located within states with high smoking prevalence appear to be targeted by e-cigarette marketing. As e-cigarettes become the target of more regulations, understanding changes in the e-cigarette retail environment is critical to inform potential policies regulating their sale and marketing.

The use of E-Cigarettes among Adolescents in the United States

Latest research has indicated that e-cigarettes are not safe for all ages, from kids to young adults, and it has been estimated that 99% of the e-cigarettes sold in the U.S. contained nicotine. This study further investigated why the underage smoking of e-cigarettes is increasing, especially among youth in California. Additionally, the study investigated secondary data from California’s Health Interview Survey (CHIS, 2017) was used to determine if the health effects caused by e-cigarette smoking, as well as future directions and implications. The research question was to determine whether smoking has increased in teens in the United States due to vaping and e-cigarette devices and whether there is a positive correlation to e-cigarette advertisement and the insufficiency of government regulations The researchers came up with a single hypothesis determine if the lack of information about the negative health effects, regulation, and parental guidance are contributing factors to the increase of adolescent smoking in the United States.

Exposure to e-cigarette information and advertising in social media and e-cigarette use in Australia: A mixed methods study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore how e-cigarette users in Australia accessed e-cigarette information and advertising on social media platforms. MethodsThe mixed-methods study design included a survey and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from March 2019 to July 2019 in Australia. Interviews were conducted following survey participation. Analysis of survey results examined associations between social media and advertising factors and use of e-cigarettes. Thematic analysis methods were applied to interview responses to explore e-cigarette information search and advertising exposure in different social media channels. ResultsThe survey had 185 respondents and 14 participated in the interviews. The average social media use time was 11.4 h/week (SD ± 2.05). A total of 91 (49.2 %) participants sought out relevant information and 104 (56.2 %) were exposed to e-cigarette advertisements on social media platforms. Participants who searched for e-cigarette information on social media were more likely to report past (OR = 5.04; 95 % CI 2.23−11.42; p = 0.001) or current e-cigarette use (OR = 9.27; 95 % CI 4.22−20.34; p = 0.001), compared to participants who had never used e-cigarettes. The same relationship was observed for exposure to e-cigarette advertising. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed the diversity of sources of information for e-cigarettes, the pervasiveness of advertising, and the importance of peer recommendations. ConclusionsAustralian e-cigarette users seek or are exposed to e-cigarette information on a variety of social media platforms. Access to e-cigarette information was concentrated among e-cigarette users but peer influence may be a risk for uptake among non-smokers.

Attitudinal and normative responses to advertising stimuli and vaping intentions

Empirical data to show whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising stimuli may influence former- and never-smokers to consider vaping is lacking. We examined whether former- and never-smokers’ cognitive, affective, and normative responses to e-cigarette stimuli in retail outlets will predict their vaping intention. A repeat cross-sectional study recruited 876 participants aged 18–24 years at Waves 1 and 2 in the United Kingdom. Bayesian structural equation modeling tested mediation and moderation effects of the variables of interest. Results from Waves 1 and 2 revealed that the association of salience of e-cigarette advertising in stores and gas stations with vaping intention was mediated by affect and subjective norms among former smokers. Cognitive attitudes of never smokers mediated the relationship between salience of e-cigarette advertising in retail outlets and vaping intention at Waves 1 and 2. Former smokers were more likely to hold stronger affect toward vaping than never smokers at Wave 2. Our study supports the need for stronger policies to restrict e-cigarette portrayals in retail outlets, as advertising messages can trigger strong thoughts, feelings, and norms of vaping. Interventions may benefit from including attitudinal and normative components to promote pro-social behavior.

Exposure and engagement with tobacco-related social media and associations with subsequent tobacco use among young adults: A longitudinal analysis

BackgroundThis study examines whether self-reported exposure to cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, and hookah advertising, and engagement with pro-tobacco and anti-tobacco social media, are associated with past 30-day tobacco use one-year later, among young adults. MethodsData were from two waves of the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas study, a multi-wave study of two- and four-year Texas college students (N = 3947; M age = 23.3, SD = 2.3; 64% female; 35% white, 31% Hispanic, 19% Asian, 8% African-American/black, 7% multi-racial/other) from 24 urban-area schools. Multiple logistic regression examined longitudinal associations between recall of exposure and engagement at baseline (wave 6, spring 2017) and tobacco use at one-year follow-up (wave 7, spring 2018), accounting for baseline demographic characteristics and tobacco use. ResultsSelf-reported exposure to and engagement with tobacco-related social media were significantly associated with past 30-day use of e-cigarettes, cigars, and hookah at one-year follow up; engagement was also associated with cigarette use. Controlling for other social media, exposure to any product advertising via Reddit increased risk for e-cigarette use (AOR = 1.92 [95% CI: 1.17–3.14]). Pinterest exposure increased risk for cigar use (2.92 [1.24–6.85]). Snapchat exposure increased risk for hookah use (2.94 [1.70–5.11]). Pro-tobacco engagement increased risk for future use of all products (1.77 [1.29–2.42]). Anti-tobacco engagement increased risk for use of cigars (1.59 [1.12–2.27]) and hookah (1.69 [1.27–2.25]). ConclusionsFindings demonstrate that encountering tobacco-related social media is an important risk factor for future tobacco use among young people. Social media should be a focus of federal regulation, counter-marketing and health communication campaigns, and intervention.

Evaluating the actual and perceived effectiveness of E-cigarette prevention advertisements among adolescents

BackgroundThe efficacy of e-cigarette prevention ads among adolescents has seldom been studied. We examined the impact of ads from the The Real Cost vaping prevention media campaign on what adolescents think and believe about vaping. We also sought to test whether perceived message effectiveness (PME) served as a proxy for ad impact. MethodsParticipants were 543 U.S. adolescents ages 13–17. In an online experiment, we randomized participants to either: 1) persuasive e-cigarette prevention video ads from the Food and Drug Administration's The Real Cost campaign that was targeted to adolescents or 2) information-only e-cigarette harms control videos (control condition). Participants in each condition viewed 2 videos in a random order. After ad exposure, the survey assessed PME (message and effects perceptions), risk beliefs about vaping, attitudes toward vaping, and intentions to vape. ResultsThe FDA’s The Real Cost ads led to higher beliefs about the harms of vaping (p < .001), more negative attitudes toward vaping (p < .001), and lower intentions to vape (p < .05) compared to the control videos. The Real Cost ads also scored higher on both message perceptions (p < .001) and effects perceptions (p < .001) compared to control videos. Effects perceptions were associated with all three outcomes (all ps < 0.001, adjusting for both types of PME and covariates), but message perceptions did not offer additional predictive value. ConclusionsExposure to The Real Cost vaping prevention ads gave adolescents a more negative view of vaping and lowered their intentions to vape compared to control videos. Effects perceptions may be superior to message perceptions as a proxy for e-cigarette prevention ad impact.

Effect of e-cigarette advertisement themes on hypothetical e-cigarette purchasing in price-responsive adolescents.

To examine the effect on adolescents of exposure to different e-cigarette advertisement themes on reported likelihood of purchasing e-cigarettes in a hypothetical scenario. Between-subjects design of four randomly assigned thematic conditions derived from a content analysis of 350 e-cigarette advertisements: general, flavor- and taste-themed, people- and product use-themed or control advertisements for bottled water. Virginia, USA. Of 1360 adolescents (13-18years old) participating, 1063 had complete data (519 current cigarette smokers, 544 tobacco-susceptible non-smokers). Participants completed an e-cigarette purchase task, reporting the likelihood of buying an e-cigarette at various prices. Indices of abuse liability included price responsiveness (whether likelihood of purchase decreased with increasing prices) and, among price-responsive adolescents, breakpoint (highest price before definitely would not buy), maximum probability-weighted expenditure (Omax ) and price elasticity (how quickly willingness to purchase decreases as prices increase). Regressions controlled for demographics, prior tobacco ad exposure, tobacco/substance use and sensation-seeking. Prior advertisement exposure was positively associated with being price-responsive [odds ratio (OR)=1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.03, 1.22; P<0.05]. Among price-responsive adolescents (n=579), breakpoints were 58% higher in the flavor- and taste-themed condition (β=0.46, 95% CI=<0.01, 0.92) and 75% higher in the people- and product use-themed condition (β=0.56, 95% CI=0.10, 1.03) compared with control (Ps<0.05). Exposure to people- and product use-themed advertisements was associated with a 60% higher Omax (β=0.47, 95% CI=0.01, 0.93; P<0.05). The general and people- and product use-themed conditions were associated with 19% (β=-0.21, 95% CI=-0.38, -0.04) and 21% (β=-0.24, 95% CI=-0.42, -0.06) lower elasticity, respectively (Ps<0.05). E-cigarette advertising exposure may increase reported likelihood of purchasing e-cigarettes, with effects differing by advertisement content. People- and product use-themed e-cigarette advertisements increased reported likelihood of purchasing in price-responsive adolescents.

People in E-Cigarette Ads Attract More Attention: An Eye-Tracking Study.

Minimally regulated electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) advertising may be one potential factor driving the increasing prevalence of young adult e-cigarette use. Using eye-tracking, the current study examined which e-cigarette advertising features were the most appealing to young adults as a first step to examine how e-cigarette advertising may be regulated. Using a within-subjects design, 30 young adults (M age = 20.0 years) viewed e-cigarette ads in a laboratory. Ad features or areas of interest (AOIs) included: 1) brand logo, 2) product descriptor, and 3) people. During ad viewing, eye-tracking measured participants' dwell time and time to first fixation for each AOI as well as each ad brand. Harm perceptions pre- and post-viewing were measured. Participants spent the longest dwell time on people (M = 2701 ms), then product descriptors (M = 924 ms), then brand logos (M = 672 ms; ps < .001). They also fixated fastest on AOIs in that order. Participant sex significantly impacted dwell time of ad brand, and harm perceptions decreased after viewing the ads (ps < .05). This study provides initial evidence about which e-cigarette ad features may appeal most to young adults and may be useful when designing evidence-based policy.

Are e-cigarette product advertisements on public transport driving public misunderstanding and potentially increased use?

Are e-cigarette product advertisements on public transport driving public misunderstanding and potentially increased use?

E-cigarette Static Advertisements: Characteristics and Marketing Strategies

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the content characteristics and marketing strategies of static e-cigarette advertisements (ads) that may impact youth use. Methods: Static e-cigarette ads from print and online media sources were gathered using MarketTrack's Competitrack from 2015 to 2016. Two individuals independently coded ads using an instrument based on previous work. Descriptive analyses overall and by the top 6 brands were performed. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify unobserved ad groupings using media source and content characteristics as predictors. Results: Ads obtained (N = 748) were primarily from online sources (&gt;80%) representing over 60 brands. Blu (15%) and Vapor4Life (13%) were the most frequent brands. Promotion of flavored products, technology/device characteristics, references to "taste," price, and financial incentives were common (&gt;20% each). Health disclaimers (10%) and age restrictions (14%) were infrequent. LCA results indicated 5 unique ad groups that differed by primary media source (eg, opt-in email vs print-based) and specific ad characteristics including promotion of flavored products versus financial incentives. Conclusions: Findings highlight common ad characteristics as well as those that distinguish between latent ad groups. These ad characteristics represent future regulatory targets aimed to impact e-cigarette use .

Cartoon Images on E-juice Labels: A Descriptive Analysis.

Although previous studies have found cartoons in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) advertisements, social media posts, and a small sample of labels, there has yet to be an analysis of cartoons located on the labels attached to bottles of e-juice (the solution that contains nicotine and other chemicals). As such, the objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and types of cartoons on e-juice labels. Two researchers independently analyzed the presence and types of cartoons on the labels of e-juice flavors available on eliquid.com. Based on the Master Settlement Agreement's definition of a cartoon, the cartoons were placed into five categories: (1) comically exaggerated people, (2) comically exaggerated animals, (3) comically exaggerated creatures, (4) anthropomorphic creatures, or (5) extra-human creatures. There was a total of 1587 brands that offered 7135 e-juice products. Of those, 311 brands (19%) offered 1359 products (19%) that contained cartoons on the e-juice labels. From the labels that contained cartoons, 790 (58%) were of comically exaggerated people, 247 (18%) were of anthropomorphic creatures, 212 (16%) were of comically exaggerated animals, 73 (5%) were of comically exaggerated creatures, and 37 (3%) were of extra-human creatures. Given the previous success of Joe Camel on youth tobacco use, the prevalence of cartoon images found in this study is noteworthy. In addition, the number of brands that had cartoons on e-juice labels indicates that this issue is pervasive among businesses that sell e-juice. This study adds to the body of knowledge on this topic by describing a concerning number of cartoons located on e-juice labels, indicating a need for policy that prohibits the use of cartoon images in e-cigarette packaging.

Responses to E-Cigarette Advertising

Responses to E-Cigarette Advertising