Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 Oct 8;22(10):1831-1841. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa095.
This study examined whether nontobacco flavors are more commonly used by vapers (e-cigarette users) compared with tobacco flavor, described which flavors are most popular, and tested whether flavors are associated with: vaping satisfaction relative to smoking, level of enjoyment with vaping, reasons for using e-cigarettes, and making an attempt to quit smoking by smokers.
This cross-sectional study included 1603 adults from Canada and the United States who vaped at least weekly, and were either current smokers (concurrent users) or former smokers (exclusive vapers). Respondents were categorized into one of seven flavors they used most in the last month: tobacco, tobacco-menthol, unflavored, or one of the nontobacco flavors: menthol/mint, fruit, candy, or "other" (eg, coffee).
Vapers use a wide range of flavors, with 63.1% using a nontobacco flavor. The most common flavor categories were fruit (29.4%) and tobacco (28.7%), followed by mint/menthol (14.4%) and candy (13.5%). Vapers using candy (41.0%, p < .0001) or fruit flavors (26.0%, p = .01) found vaping more satisfying (compared with smoking) than vapers using tobacco flavor (15.5%) and rated vaping as very/extremely enjoyable (fruit: 50.9%; candy: 60.9%) than those using tobacco flavor (39.4%). Among concurrent users, those using fruit (74.6%, p = .04) or candy flavors (81.1%, p = .003) were more likely than tobacco flavor users (63.5%) to vape in order to quit smoking. Flavor category was not associated with the likelihood of a quit attempt (p = .46). Among exclusive vapers, tobacco and nontobacco flavors were popular; however, those using tobacco (99.0%) were more likely than those using candy (72.8%, p = .002) or unflavored (42.5%, p = .005) to vape in order to stay quit.
A majority of regular vapers in Canada and the US use nontobacco flavors. Greater satisfaction and enjoyment with vaping are higher among fruit and candy flavor users. While it does not appear that certain flavors are associated with a greater propensity to attempt to quit smoking among concurrent users, nontobacco flavors are popular among former smokers who are exclusively vaping. Future research should determine the likely impact of flavor bans on those who are vaping to quit smoking or to stay quit.
Recent concerns about the attractiveness of e-cigarette flavors among youth have resulted in flavor restrictions in some jurisdictions of the United States and Canada. However, little is known about the possible consequences for current and former smokers if they no longer have access to their preferred flavors. This study shows that a variety of nontobacco flavors, especially fruit, are popular among adult vapers, particularly among those who have quit smoking and are now exclusively vaping. Limiting access to flavors may therefore reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes among adults who are trying to quit smoking or stay quit.
本研究旨在考察电子烟使用者（电子烟使用者）是否比烟草口味更常使用非烟草口味，描述哪些口味最受欢迎，并测试口味是否与以下方面相关：与吸烟相比，电子烟的满意度，对电子烟的享受程度，使用电子烟的原因，以及吸烟者戒烟的尝试。
这项横断面研究包括来自加拿大和美国的 1603 名至少每周吸食电子烟的成年人，他们要么是当前吸烟者（同时使用者），要么是前吸烟者（专用电子烟使用者）。受访者被分为他们在过去一个月中使用最多的七种口味之一：烟草、烟草薄荷、无味或以下非烟草口味之一：薄荷/薄荷、水果、糖果或“其他”（例如，咖啡）。
电子烟使用者使用各种口味，其中 63.1%使用非烟草口味。最常见的口味类别是水果（29.4%）和烟草（28.7%），其次是薄荷/薄荷（14.4%）和糖果（13.5%）。使用糖果（41.0%，p<.0001）或水果口味（26.0%，p=0.01）的电子烟使用者比使用烟草口味（15.5%）的电子烟使用者更满意（与吸烟相比），并且比使用烟草口味的电子烟使用者更享受（水果：50.9%；糖果：60.9%）。在同时使用者中，与使用烟草口味的使用者（63.5%）相比，使用水果（74.6%）或糖果口味（81.1%）的使用者更有可能为了戒烟而吸食电子烟。口味类别与戒烟尝试的可能性无关（p=0.46）。在专用电子烟使用者中，烟草和非烟草口味都很受欢迎；然而，与使用烟草（99.0%）的人相比，使用糖果（72.8%，p=0.002）或无味（42.5%，p=0.005）的人更有可能为了保持戒烟状态而吸食电子烟。
加拿大和美国的大多数常规电子烟使用者使用非烟草口味。水果和糖果口味的使用者对电子烟的满意度和享受程度更高。虽然某些口味似乎与同时使用者戒烟尝试的可能性没有关联，但非烟草口味在专门吸食电子烟的前吸烟者中很受欢迎，他们已经戒烟。未来的研究应该确定口味禁令对那些试图通过吸食电子烟戒烟或保持戒烟状态的人的可能影响。
最近人们对电子烟在青少年中的吸引力感到担忧，导致美国和加拿大的一些司法管辖区对电子烟口味进行了限制。然而，对于那些不再能够使用他们喜欢的口味的当前和前吸烟者来说，可能会产生什么样的后果，人们知之甚少。这项研究表明，各种非烟草口味，尤其是水果口味，在成年电子烟使用者中很受欢迎，尤其是在那些已经戒烟并现在专门吸食电子烟的人中。如果限制口味的获取，可能会降低电子烟对试图戒烟或保持戒烟状态的成年人的吸引力。
