Government E-cigarette restrictions on marketing lower use

(HealthDay)—Comprehensive provincial restrictions on electronic cigarette marketing are associated with lower levels of exposure to marketing and lower prevalence of e-cigarette use, according to a Canadian study published online June 29 in Pediatrics.

David Hammond, Ph.D., from the University of Waterloo in Canada, and colleagues examined the impact of regulatory restrictions on e-cigarette marketing using repeat, cross-sectional surveys of 12,004 16- to 19-year-olds in Canada, which were completed online in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The researchers found that the percentage of youth surveyed who reported noticing e-cigarette promotions often or very often approximately doubled between 2017 and 2019 (13.6 versus 26.0 percent; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.24). In provinces with fewer regulatory restrictions, overall exposure to marketing was greater. Vaping in the past 30 days was more likely to be reported by respondents who reported noticing marketing often or very often (aOR, 1.41), as was vaping in the past week (aOR, 1.44) and ≥20 days in the past month (aOR, 1.42). There was higher prevalence of vaping seen in the past 30 days (aOR, 1.50) and in the past week (aOR, 1.65) in provinces with low restrictions on marketing.

"With the current findings, we highlight the importance of restrictions on newer forms of marketing, such as digital media, as well as traditional advertising channels, including the point-of-sale," the authors write.

Hammond has served as a paid expert witness in legal challenges against tobacco companies.

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