Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA.
Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 Aug 29;23(10):1744-1753. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab088.
Banning vaping products may have unintended outcomes, such as increased demand for illegal products. This study experimentally examined the effects of a vaping ban and a flavored vaping ban on the probability of purchasing illicit vaping products, and factors affecting purchasing from a hypothetical illegal marketplace.
A crowdsourced sample of exclusive cigarette smokers, exclusive e-cigarette users, and frequent dual users (n = 150) completed hypothetical purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace under three conditions (no ban, vaping ban, and flavored vaping ban). Participants chose to purchase in a hypothetical legal experimental tobacco marketplace (LETM) or illegal experimental tobacco marketplace (IETM). Vaping products were available in each marketplace depending on the condition. Other tobacco products were always available in the LETM. A hypothetical illicit purchase task with five fine amounts assessed the effect of monetary penalties.
Participants from all groups were more likely to purchase from the IETM when product availability in the LETM was more restricted, with e-cigarette users being most affected. The likelihood of purchasing illegal products was systematically decreased as monetary penalties associated with the IETM increased, with e-cigarette users showing greater persistence in defending their illicit purchases.
Restricting vaping products from the marketplace may shift preference towards purchasing vaping products in the illegal marketplace. Nevertheless, penalties imposed on consumer's behavior might be effective in preventing illicit trade. The IETM is a methodological extension that supports the utility and flexibility of the ETM as a framework for understanding the impact of different tobacco regulatory policies.
This study suggests that limiting or banning vaping products as a possible strategy to reduce the adverse effects of vaping products could result in some tobacco-users seeking banned products from illegal sources. Monetary fines were shown to reduce illegal purchases. Therefore, policymakers should consider implementing strategies that may mitigate illegal purchases.
禁止蒸气类电子烟产品可能会产生意想不到的后果，例如增加对非法产品的需求。本研究通过实验考察了蒸气类电子烟产品禁令和调味蒸气类电子烟产品禁令对购买非法蒸气类电子烟产品概率的影响，以及对从假设的非法市场购买产品的影响因素。
通过众包方式招募了 150 名不吸电子烟的吸烟者、只吸电子烟者和经常同时使用这两种产品的双重使用者，他们在三种条件下（无禁令、蒸气类电子烟产品禁令和调味蒸气类电子烟产品禁令）在实验性烟草市场中完成了假设的购买试验。参与者选择在假设的合法实验性烟草市场（LETM）或非法实验性烟草市场（IETM）购买。根据条件，每个市场都提供蒸气类电子烟产品。其他烟草产品在 LETM 中始终有售。有一个假设的非法购买任务，有五个罚款金额，评估了罚款金额的影响。
来自所有组的参与者在 LETM 中产品供应受到更多限制时，更有可能从 IETM 购买产品，电子烟使用者受影响最大。随着与 IETM 相关的罚款金额增加，购买非法产品的可能性系统地降低，电子烟使用者更倾向于坚持购买非法产品。
将蒸气类电子烟产品从市场上限制，可能会促使消费者转向从非法市场购买蒸气类电子烟产品。然而，对消费者行为实施罚款可能会有效阻止非法交易。IETM 是一种方法上的扩展，支持 ETM 作为一种理解不同烟草监管政策影响的框架的实用性和灵活性。
本研究表明，将限制或禁止蒸气类电子烟产品作为减少蒸气类电子烟产品不良影响的一种可能策略，可能会导致一些烟草使用者从非法来源寻求被禁止的产品。罚款显示出减少非法购买的效果。因此，政策制定者应考虑实施可能减轻非法购买的策略。
