The use of tobacco industry vaping products in the UK and product characteristics: A cross-sectional survey

Elliot J Cornish, Leonie S Brose, Ann McNeill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
11 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background

Tobacco industry (TI) companies have entered the UK e-cigarette (“vaping”) market in recent years. However, their motives and ambitions are unclear. This study explored how popular TI vaping products are and who uses them, and how they differ from independent products.

Methods

Secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal web-based survey of smokers, ex-smokers, and vapers (n = 3883) in the UK in 2019. The main study sample consisted of daily and nondaily vapers, who were current or ex-cigarette smokers, and had stated the brand of their preferred e-cigarette device (n = 1202). Proportions using TI and independent brands were calculated and regression analysis assessed associations with sociodemographic and smoking/vaping characteristics between vapers of TI and independent products. Chi-square tests were used to analyze differences between TI and independent products.

Results

Overall, 53.4% used TI products. A university education (67.6%; adjOR = 1.54; 95% CI, 1.140–2.088), nondaily vaping (68.2%; adjOR = 1.39; CI, 1.029–1.880), and cigarette dependence (moderate, strong and very strong urges to smoke) were associated with using TI vaping brands. TI products used were less likely to be refillable (“open”) than independent brands (60.9% vs. 18.3%, chi-square = 228.98, p < .001), more likely to use nicotine salts (16.7% vs. 8.6%, chi-square = 25.04, p < .001) and tobacco flavors (23.8% vs. 17.9%, chi-square = 12.65, p < .001).

Conclusion

TI vaping products were popular in the UK, associations with product and user characteristics suggest that TI products may be less conducive to smoking cessation, although the findings were not always consistent.

Implications

Consequences of regulations need to be carefully considered to ensure that independent producers are not more negatively impacted than tobacco industry producers, and to avoid reducing utility of products for smoking cessation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1003–1011
JournalNicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Volume24
Issue number7
Early online date9 Dec 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2022

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