Impact of advertisements promoting candy-like flavoured e-cigarettes on appeal of tobacco smoking among children: an experimental study

Vasiljevic, M.; Petrescu, D.C.; Marteau, T.M.

Abstract

Background: There are concerns that the marketing of e-cigarettes may increase the appeal of tobacco smoking in children. We examined this concern by assessing the impact on appeal of tobacco smoking after exposure to advertisements for e-cigarettes with and without candy-like flavours, such as, bubble gum and milk chocolate. Methods: We assigned 598 English school children (aged 11–16 years) to 1 of 3 different conditions corresponding to the adverts to which they were exposed: adverts for flavoured e-cigarettes, adverts for non-flavoured e-cigarettes or a control condition in which no adverts were shown. The primary endpoint was appeal of tobacco smoking. Secondary endpoints were: appeal of using e-cigarettes, susceptibility to tobacco smoking, perceived harm of tobacco, appeal of e-cigarette adverts and interest in buying and trying e-cigarettes. Results: Tobacco smokers and e-cigarette users were excluded from analyses (final sample=471). Exposure to either set of adverts did not increase the appeal of tobacco smoking, the appeal of using e-cigarettes, or susceptibility to tobacco smoking. Also, it did not reduce the perceived harm of tobacco smoking, which was high. Flavoured e-cigarette adverts were, however, more appealing than adverts for non-flavoured e-cigarettes and elicited greater interest in buying and trying e-cigarettes. Conclusions: Exposure to adverts for e-cigarettes does not seem to increase the appeal of tobacco smoking in children. Flavoured, compared with non-flavoured, e-cigarette adverts did, however, elicit greater appeal and interest in buying and trying e-cigarettes. Further studies extending the current research are needed to elucidate the impact of flavoured and non-flavoured e-cigarette adverts.

Citation

Vasiljevic, M., Petrescu, D., & Marteau, T. (2016). Impact of advertisements promoting candy-like flavoured e-cigarettes on appeal of tobacco smoking among children: an experimental study. Tobacco Control, 25, e107-e112. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052593

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 12, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 17, 2016
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Deposit Date: Oct 24, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 5, 2020
• Journal: Tobacco Control
• Print ISSN: 0964-4563
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-3318
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 25
• Pages: e107-e112
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052593
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1344420
• Related Public URLs: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/253015