Adolescents’ responses to the promotion and flavouring of e-cigarettes

Ford, Allison; MacKintosh, Anne Marie; Bauld, Linda; Moodie, Crawford and Hastings, Gerard (2016). Adolescents’ responses to the promotion and flavouring of e-cigarettes. International Journal of Public Health, 61(2) pp. 215–224.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0769-5

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of the study is to examine adolescents’ awareness of e-cigarette marketing and investigate the impact of e-cigarette flavour descriptors on perceptions of product harm and user image.

Methods

Data come from the 2014 Youth Tobacco Policy Survey, a cross-sectional in-home survey conducted with 11–16 year olds across the UK (n = 1205). Adolescents’ awareness of e-cigarette promotion, brands, and flavours was assessed. Perceptions of product harm, and likely user of four examples of e-cigarette flavours was also examined.

Results

Some participants had tried e-cigarettes (12 %) but regular use was low (2 %) and confined to adolescents who had also smoked tobacco. Most were aware of at least one promotional channel (82 %) and that e-cigarettes came in different flavours (69 %). Brand awareness was low. E-cigarettes were perceived as harmful (M = 3.54, SD = 1.19) but this was moderated by product flavours. Fruit and sweet flavours were perceived as more likely to be tried by young never smokers than adult smokers trying to quit (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

There is a need to monitor the impact of future market and regulatory change on youth uptake and perceptions of e-cigarettes.