背景:薄荷醇是可燃香烟和电子尼古丁递送系统(ENDS)中的特征香料。电子液体被认为是ENDS使用的重要原因。然而,与薄荷醇香烟相比,薄荷醇味电子液体和其他清凉口味,包括薄荷和ENDS的“冰”,是一个研究不足的调查领域。本研究调查了大洛杉矶地区的实体vape商店中的冷却味电子液体网站营销。
方法:总共确定了104个砖和砂浆vape商店,38个有活跃的网站。在30天的时间内(2020年9月28日至10月28日),我们从每个网站收集了所有调味可再填充电子液体(照片/图像)的营销。收集1330种产品的数据。本研究只选择了可再填充的电子液体瓶,不包括预填充的吊舱vapes和一次性vapes。每个网站的每个电子液体被编码(例如薄荷醇或不薄荷醇)并分组为类别(例如薄荷醇的类型)。电子液体分为三个风味描述符类别是薄荷醇,薄荷,或冰。还为已识别的电子液体创建了一个“其他”类别,其风味描述符未提及薄荷醇,薄荷,或冰。
结果:从38个活跃网站中鉴定出总共1330种电子液体香料。其中,219被编码为薄荷醇/薄荷/冰风味电子液体。频率包括冰/冰/冰(n=123;56%),薄荷醇(n=32;15%),薄荷(n=23;11%),和其他(n=41;19%)。在123种冰味电子液体中,70.3%(n=83)与水果结合(例如“苹果冰”,\'葡萄冰\',\'冰冷的芒果\')。在32种薄荷醇味电子液体中,63.3%(n=19)与水果结合(例如“火龙果薄荷醇”,\'蓝色树莓薄荷醇\',\'新鲜桃子薄荷醇\')。其他类别的风味是与冰相关的风味描述符(例如“北极空气”,\'大脑冻结\',\'冻结绿巨人的眼泪\')。
结论:大洛杉矶地区的砖混vape商店在其网站上销售各种冷却味电子液体。这种营销主要集中在冰果风味组合上。需要进行未来的研究,以了解不同消费者群体对冷却味电子液体营销的接触和吸引力如何不同,包括成年薄荷醇吸烟者和不吸烟的年轻人。
BACKGROUND: Menthol is a characterizing flavor in combustible cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). E-liquids are recognized as an important reason for ENDS use. Yet, compared to menthol cigarettes, menthol flavored e-liquids and other cooling flavors, including mint and \'ice\' for ENDS, are an understudied area of investigation. The present study examined cooling flavored e-liquid website marketing among brick-and-mortar vape shops in Greater Los Angeles Area.
METHODS: A total of 104 brick-and-mortar vape shops were identified, and 38 had active websites. Over a 30-day period (28 September - 28 October 2020), we collected marketing for all flavored refillable e-liquids (photos/images) from each website. Data were collected for 1330 products. Only refillable e-liquid bottles were selected for this study, excluding prefilled pod vapes and disposable vapes. Each e-liquid per website was coded (e.g. menthol or not) and grouped into categories (e.g. type of menthol). The three flavor descriptor categories that the e-liquids were grouped into were menthol, mint, or ice. An \'other\' category was also created for identified e-liquids with flavor descriptors that did not mention menthol, mint, or ice.
RESULTS: A total of 1330 e-liquid flavors were identified from 38 active websites. Among them, 219 were coded as menthol/mint/ice flavor e-liquids. Frequencies included ice/iced/icy (n=123; 56%), menthol (n=32; 15%), mint (n=23; 11%), and other (n=41; 19%). Of the 123 ice-flavor e-liquids, 70.3% (n=83) were in combination with fruit (e.g. \'Apple Ice\', \'Grape Iced\', \'Icy Mango\'). Of the 32 menthol-flavored e-liquids, 63.3% (n=19) were in combination with fruit (e.g. \'Dragon Fruit Menthol\', \'Blue Raspberry Menthol\', \'Fresh Peach Menthol\'). Flavors in the other category were ice-related flavor descriptors (e.g. \'Arctic Air\', \'Brain Freeze\', \'Frozen Hulk Tears\').
CONCLUSIONS: Brick-and-mortar vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles Area market a variety of cooling flavor e-liquids on their websites. Such marketing focused largely on ice fruit flavor combinations. Future research is needed to understand how exposure to and appeal of cooling flavored e-liquid marketing differs among diverse consumer groups, including adult menthol cigarette smokers and non-smoking youth.