E-Cigarette Brand Use by Race/Ethnicity in a US Sample of Adolescent and Young Adult E-Cigarette Users, 2022-2023.

Introduction: To determine whether e-cigarette brand use varies according to race/ethnicity among adolescent and young adult e-cigarette users.

Aims And Methods: Data are from a cross-sectional online survey of respondents aged 15-24 years (January 2022-June 2023; 300 unique respondents/week). The analytic sample was restricted to current e-cigarette users (n = 6387).

Improving Enforcement Measures and Establishing Clear Criteria: A Content Analysis of Tobacco-Brand-Owned Instagram Accounts.

Introduction: This study examines limitations of the current regulatory framework for tobacco advertising on Instagram. We first investigate compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning label requirements for posts by tobacco-owned accounts. Next, we examine the prevalence of content that has been restricted in broadcast or print for its youth appeal, followed by content meeting more expansive criteria for youth appeal set forth in the FDA's guidance document.

E-Cigarette Brand Trends in the United States: An Investigation of Data From a Youth and Young Adult Sample and the E-Cigarette Retail Market (2022).

Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) remain the most used tobacco product among young people in the United States (US). Given the need for current data on popular e-cigarette products, the current study leverages data from a rapid surveillance survey of young people and examines whether the top e-cigarette brands identified from this source align with US market data.

Methodology: Data were obtained from current e-cigarette users (N = 4145) participating in the Truth Continuous Tracker Online (CTO; a cross-sectional tracking survey of 15-24 year-olds sourced from the national Dynata panel) and NielsenIQ retail scanner data, collected in 2022 and aggregated by quarter (Q1, Q2, and Q3).

Easy access: identification verification and shipping methods used by online vape shops.

Objective: This project assesses how online vape shops (OVSs) verify buyer identification (ID) and the shipping methods used to send products within the USA.

Methodology: In January 2023, we conducted three online searches (eg, 'best online vape shops') from our office in Washington, District of Columbia, to identify popular OVSs. Two trained coders identified discrete features available within the site sections: 'About Us', 'Shipping Policy' and 'Frequently Asked Questions', or displayed within the site's homepage.

Bigger, stronger and cheaper: growth in e-cigarette market driven by disposable devices with more e-liquid, higher nicotine concentration and declining prices.

Objective: Given the evolving changes in the disposable e-cigarette market, we explore patterns of sales in the USA by e-liquid volume capacity, nicotine strength and real sales-weighted average prices by both e-cigarette unit and volume of e-liquid.

Methodology: We used NielsenIQ retail scanner data from January 2017 to September 2022 to examine changes over time for average product volume capacity in millilitres, nicotine strength (%) and both sales-weighted average price per disposable unit and per millilitre of e-liquid for each 4-week period.

Results: Among disposable e-cigarettes sold between January 2017 and September 2022, average volume capacity increased 518% from 1.

Examining influencer compliance with advertising regulations in branded vaping content on Instagram.

Background: Youth and young adults are exposed to vaping advertisements on social media sites, despite regulations and guidelines intended to reduce the prevalence of such content on these platforms. This research uses replicable criteria to identify vaping influencers who have worked with vaping brands to promote vaping products on Instagram and documents the extent to which posts by these users comply with existing advertising regulations.

Methodology: We conducted three google searches collecting eight different vaping influencer lists, with a total of 575 unique influencers.

Analysis of e-cigarette warning letters issued by the Food and Drug Administration in 2020 and 2021.

Purpose: This study analyses the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters sent to e-cigarette companies from 1 January 2020 to 9 September 2021. Study results can inform regulation of e-cigarettes.

Methodology: Warning letters retrieved from FDA's website were coded for company type (retailer, manufacturer or distributor), location (domestic or international), infractions listed (PMTA (premarket tobacco product application), selling to minors, advertising to youth or packaging violation/mislabelling), product type (e-liquid, device or both), flavour (fruit, candy, tobacco, menthol/mint, concept flavour) and consequence (civil money penalties, product seizure and injunction, product detention and refusal of entry to the USA, no-tobacco-sales order, criminal prosecution).

The impact of two state-level approaches to restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products.

Background: Flavored tobacco products are highly appealing to youth. The Federal government lacks a comprehensive flavored tobacco products policy and states have adopted different approaches restricting these products. This study analyzes the impact of Massachusetts' comprehensive prohibition and New Jersey's partial restriction on the sale of flavored tobacco products.

A Content Analysis of Promotional Features in US Direct-Mail From Advertisements Across Tobacco Products From 2018 to 2020.

Introduction: Direct-mail advertising is a crucial channel through which tobacco companies deliver price incentives that lower the barrier to tobacco use while promoting tobacco products via thematic appeals not legally permitted on other marketing channels. We examine the prevalence of price incentives and ad characteristics used in tobacco product advertisements (ads) mailed directly to US consumers.

Aims And Methods: We analyzed the content of direct-mail tobacco ads (N = 1047) in circulation between January 2018 and December 2020 as captured by Mintel Comperemedia Direct.

Interest in Receiving Nutrition Information Through Social Media Among Food-Security Program Participants in Washington, DC.

Introduction: Effective communication approaches are necessary to reach food-security program participants. Accessing food-security programs has been especially challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media can play an important role in reducing some communication barriers.