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The Reshaping of the E-Cigarette Retail Environment: Its Evolution and Public Health Concerns

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  • Carla J. Berg

    (Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20052, USA
    George Washington Cancer Center, George Washington University, 800 22nd Street NW, #7000C, Washington, DC 20052, USA)

  • Albert Melena

    (San Fernando Valley Partnership, Inc., 1131 Celis Street, San Fernando, CA 91340, USA)

  • Friedner D. Wittman

    (CLEW Associates, 950 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA)

  • Tomas Robles

    (San Fernando Valley Partnership, Inc., 1131 Celis Street, San Fernando, CA 91340, USA)

  • Lisa Henriksen

    (Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3180 Porter Drive, Suite 125, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA)

Abstract

E-cigarette use represents a public health controversy in the US and globally. Despite the potential of e-cigarettes to support cigarette cessation, their use increases health risks and risk for addiction, particularly in young people. Various federal, state, and local laws have impacted tobacco retail in general and e-cigarettes in particular. In the US, 2019–2020 federal laws increased in the minimum legal sales age for tobacco to 21 and banned flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes. Many states and localities were early adopters of Tobacco 21 and implemented more comprehensive flavor restrictions than the federal ban. Meanwhile, cannabis retail is increasingly being legalized in the US—while cannabis-based product regulation has notable gaps at the federal, state, and local levels. These regulatory complexities have impacted specialized retailers selling e-cigarettes, including “vape shops” that exclusively sell e-cigarettes, “smoke shops” that sell e-cigarettes and other tobacco (and potentially CBD/THC and other un- or under-regulated products), and online retail. This commentary outlines public health concerns related to: (1) youth access; (2) consumer exposure to a broader range of tobacco products and marketing in retail settings where they may seek products to aid in cigarette cessation (i.e., such broad product exposure could hinder cessation attempts); (3) consumer exposure to un-/under-regulated products (e.g., delta-8-THC, kratom); and (4) federal, state, and local regulations being undermined by consumer access to prohibited products online and via the mail. These concerns underscore the need for ongoing surveillance of how retailers and consumers respond to regulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Carla J. Berg & Albert Melena & Friedner D. Wittman & Tomas Robles & Lisa Henriksen, 2022. "The Reshaping of the E-Cigarette Retail Environment: Its Evolution and Public Health Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8518-:d:861097
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zongshuan Duan & Katelyn F. Romm & Lisa Henriksen & Nina C. Schleicher & Trent O. Johnson & Theodore L. Wagener & Steven Y. Sussman & Barbara A. Schillo & Jidong Huang & Carla J. Berg, 2022. "The Impact of Recent Tobacco Regulations and COVID-19 Restrictions and Implications for Future E-Cigarette Retail: Perspectives from Vape and Vape-and-Smoke Shop Merchants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Carla J. Berg, 2016. "Preferred flavors and reasons for e-cigarette use and discontinued use among never, current, and former smokers," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 61(2), pages 225-236, March.
    3. Greta Hsu & Anthony C. Gamst & Yue-Lin Zhuang & Tanya Wolfson & Shu-Hong Zhu, 2019. "A Comparison of E-Cigarette Use Patterns and Smoking Cessation Behavior among Vapers by Primary Place of Purchase," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Baker, H.M. & Lee, J.G.L. & Ranney, L.M. & Goldstein, A.O., 2015. "Discrepancy in self-report "loosie" use and federal compliance checks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(9), pages 1-1.
    5. Mohammad Siahpush & Raees A. Shaikh & Danielle Smith & Andrew Hyland & K. Michael Cummings & Asia Sikora Kessler & Michael D. Dodd & Les Carlson & Jane Meza & Melanie Wakefield, 2016. "The Association of Exposure to Point-of-Sale Tobacco Marketing with Quit Attempt and Quit Success: Results from a Prospective Study of Smokers in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-10, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ellen Galstyan & Artur Galimov & Leah Meza & Jimi Huh & Carla J. Berg & Jennifer B. Unger & Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati & Steve Sussman, 2022. "An Assessment of Vape Shop Products in California before and after Implementation of FDA and State Regulations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-10, November.

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