This study was conducted by the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) and funded by Fontem Ventures. Looking at data gathered from over 20,000 adult frequent vapers in the United States, this study is one of the major ones to look at flavours.
The researchers looked at the first e-liquid flavours and current ones vaped by the participants, and interestingly, the results indicated that the majority of regular e-cigarette users, had transitioned directly from smoking cigarettes to vaping with non-tobacco flavours, and to switching from tobacco to non-tobacco flavours over time.
“The results show that non-tobacco flavours, especially fruit based flavours, are being increasingly preferred to tobacco flavours by adult vapers who have completely switched from combustible cigarettes to vapour products,” said Dr Christopher Russell, Deputy Director of CSUR, who led the research.
Most US adult vapers prefer fruity flavours
The research indicated that the most commonly used e-liquid flavours in the US are fruit/fruit beverage at 82.9%, whilst the second most popular kind are dessert/pastry flavours at 68.5%. “The data suggest that U.S. vapers’ journeys towards quitting smoking are increasingly likely to start with, progress to, or be sustained by frequent use of vaping devices containing non-tobacco flavours”, said Dr Russell.
In line with the above data, a 2017 study from Yale School of Public Health and the Centre for Health Policy at the Imperial College in London, had indicated that if flavours had to be banned in e-cigarettes many former smokers would revert back to smoking. “Our results are timely and policy-relevant, suggesting which flavor bans are likely to be most effective in protecting public health,” said the researchers at the time.
Read Further: EurekAlert
