Impact of advertisements promoting candy like flavoured e cigarettes on appeal of tobacco smoking among children: an experimental study
Background There are concerns that the marketing of e cigarettes may increase the appeal of tobacco smoking in children. We examined this concern by assessing the impact on appeal of tobacco smoking after exposure to advertisements for e cigarettes with and without candy like flavours, such as, bubble gum and milk chocolate. Methods We assigned 598 English school children (aged 11 16 years) to 1 of 3 different conditions corresponding to the adverts to which they were exposed: adverts for flavoured e cigarettes, adverts for non flavoured e cigarettes or a control condition in which no adverts were shown. The primary endpoint was appeal of tobacco smoking. Secondary endpoints were: appeal of using e cigarettes, susceptibility to tobacco smoking, perceived harm of tobacco, appeal of e cigarette adverts and interest in buying and trying e cigarettes. Results Tobacco smokers and e cigarette users were excluded from analyses (final sample=471) Exposure to either set of adverts did not increase the appeal of tobacco smoking, the appeal of using e cigarettes, or susceptibility to tobacco smoking. Also, it did not reduce the perceived harm of tobacco smoking, which was high. Flavoured e cigarette adverts were, however, more appealing than adverts for non flavoured e cigarettes and elicited greater interest in buying and trying e cigarettes. Conclusions Exposure to adverts for e cigarettes does not seem to increase the appeal of tobacco smoking in children. Flavoured, compared with non flavoured, e cigarette adverts did, however, elicit greater appeal and interest in buying and trying e cigarettes. Further studies extending the current research are needed to elucidate the impact of flavoured and non flavoured e cigarette adverts.
Tobacco Control