Dobbs Page D, Soule Eric K, Mahoney Margaret, Tabassum Mufazzela, Burgess Nia, Henriksen Lisa
Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, Center for Public Health and Technology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 May 22;27(6):1142-1146. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae258.
Capsule cigarettes allow users to crush liquid-filled capsules to release flavors into cigarettes' filters. New devices are emerging across the globe that allow people who smoke to circumvent tobacco flavor restrictions via injectable capsules. This study examined TikTok videos marketing flavored capsule injector devices.
TikTok videos (n = 832) posted worldwide between July 6, 2021, and December 28, 2023, that used hashtags #injectorflavor, #flavourclickball, #flavorball, and #injectorballcigarette were collected using a TikTok application programing interface. A codebook was developed using a systematic iterative approach, identifying six codes: flavor capsules, promotes flavors (i.e., fruit, mint or menthol flavors, nonalcoholic drinks, alcoholic drinks), demonstrates how to use or refill large injector devices, demonstrates how to use small convenient devices, includes music (any or English language). Two independent coders annotated all videos.
Overall, 88.3% (n = 735) of the videos displayed flavor capsules and had been viewed more than 72 million times. Half (51.6%) of the videos demonstrated how to use large box-shaped devices to inject capsules into the filter of a cigarette, and 15.0% of the videos showed how to do this with smaller, more convenient devices. Flavors including fruit (35.5%), menthol/mint (27.8%), nonalcoholic drinks (21.9%), and alcoholic drinks (11.6%) were used to promote these capsules. Most videos (85.6%) were uploaded by sellers on "TikTok shop."
TikTok accounts are promoting injectable capsule devices that circumvent flavored tobacco sales restrictions. Policy makers, tobacco control advocates, and public health practitioners should be aware of such marketing to inform regulation and develop prevention strategies.
Our findings identified an emerging product that can encourage circumvention of flavor restriction policies. Regulators, policy makers, public health practitioners, researchers, and advocates should be aware of such products to inform regulation and develop prevention strategies. Given the potential for these products to reduce the intended effects of flavored tobacco sales restrictions, policy makers must be poised to address materials that consumers use to create their own flavored tobacco products, including flavor capsules designed to be inserted into cigarettes.
胶囊香烟允许使用者碾碎装有液体的胶囊，将香味释放到香烟滤嘴中。全球各地正在出现新的装置，使吸烟者能够通过可注射胶囊规避烟草口味限制。本研究调查了TikTok上推销调味胶囊注射器装置的视频。
使用TikTok应用程序编程接口收集了2021年7月6日至2023年12月28日期间在全球发布的TikTok视频（n = 832），这些视频使用了#injectorflavor、#flavourclickball、#flavorball和#injectorballcigarette等标签。采用系统迭代方法制定了一个编码手册，确定了六个编码：调味胶囊、推广口味（即水果味、薄荷或薄荷醇味、非酒精饮料、酒精饮料）、演示如何使用或重新填充大型注射器装置、演示如何使用小型便捷装置、包含音乐（任何音乐或英语歌曲）。两名独立编码员对所有视频进行了注释。
总体而言，88.3%（n = 735）的视频展示了调味胶囊，观看次数超过7200万次。一半（51.6%）的视频演示了如何使用大型盒状装置将胶囊注入香烟滤嘴，15.0%的视频展示了如何使用更小、更便捷的装置进行操作。用于推广这些胶囊的口味包括水果味（35.5%）、薄荷醇/薄荷味（27.8%）、非酒精饮料味（21.9%）和酒精饮料味（11.6%）。大多数视频（85.6%）是卖家在“TikTok小店”上发布的。
TikTok账户正在推广可注射胶囊装置，这些装置规避了调味烟草销售限制。政策制定者、烟草控制倡导者和公共卫生从业者应了解此类营销活动，以便为监管提供信息并制定预防策略。
我们的研究结果发现了一种新兴产品，这种产品可能会鼓励人们规避口味限制政策。监管机构、政策制定者、公共卫生从业者、研究人员和倡导者应了解此类产品，以便为监管提供信息并制定预防策略。鉴于这些产品有可能削弱调味烟草销售限制的预期效果，政策制定者必须准备好应对消费者用于自制调味烟草产品的材料，包括设计用于插入香烟的调味胶囊。
