Which Is Better: Tobacco-Flavored or Fruit-Flavored E-Liquid?
Which is more enjoyable, tobacco-flavored or fruit-flavored e-liquid? Researchers from the Center for Substance Use Research (CSUR) analyzed survey data from more than 20,000 vaping users in 2016 to determine flavor preferences among users in the United S
Which tastes better, tobacco-flavored e-liquid or fruit-flavored e-liquid? Researchers from the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) studied survey data from more than 20,000 e-cigarette users collected in 2016 to determine the flavor preferences of e-cigarette users in the United States. The results were surprising, as the study found that most e-cigarette users actually preferred non-tobacco flavors such as fruit and dessert varieties.
The study was led by Dr. Christopher Russell, who has previously led several other studies on e-cigarettes. Researchers sent survey invitations to members of four "consumer and trade organizations," including the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA), the American Vaping Association (AVA), and Not Blowing Smoke (NBS). Links to the survey were also posted on social media and on forums such as ECF and Vapes Planet, resulting in 20,836 usable responses.
According to the survey data, in 2016, people who had started using e-cigarettes 3 to 5 years earlier mostly chose tobacco flavor as their first flavor. However, tobacco and menthol flavors became less popular among people who had only recently started using e-cigarettes. Since 2013, fruit-flavored e-liquid has gradually overtaken tobacco flavor to become the most popular flavor for people starting to use e-cigarettes. The proportion of first-time users choosing dessert/pastry-flavored e-liquid has also continued to rise.
Among the flavors people currently use, the three most popular categories are fruit/fruit drink, dessert/pastry, and candy/chocolate. Among former smokers, only 14.8% preferred tobacco flavor, while 14.3% preferred menthol. About 40% said they used a mix of two or more flavors. Even dual users—people who use both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes—did not prefer tobacco flavor. Only 15.9% favored tobacco flavor, and 16.3% chose menthol as their favorite.
These results make sense to many vapers, because after quitting smoking, people tend to prefer flavors that do not remind them of smoking. In addition, as taste buds gradually recover after quitting, people often become more fond of sweeter flavors.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long proposed banning flavors such as fruit and dessert in e-liquid because it believes fruit and other sweet e-liquids are particularly attractive to young people. In a statement on the proposed regulations, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said: "We have found that these e-cigarette flavors are very appealing to children, and they may encourage adolescents to smoke."
The FDA has already tried once to ban flavored e-cigarette products, except for tobacco and menthol. In fact, however, the FDA has not presented clear evidence that these e-cigarette flavors attract young people to smoking. Nevertheless, Scott Gottlieb and other staff members still seemed determined to push forward with their plan. In an effort to make tobacco products less addictive and less appealing, the FDA was preparing to ban multiple e-liquid flavors.
If regulators do ban non-tobacco e-liquid flavors, it would damage the legitimate U.S. e-cigarette market. The flavors targeted for prohibition are precisely the ones most people currently prefer. If these e-liquid flavors can no longer be sold, vape shops and some online retailers would be hit hard, and some could even be forced to shut down. Moreover, these flavors play an important role in helping smokers reduce cigarette consumption and quit smoking. If they are banned, would this group of people return to smoking cigarettes?
The study was led by Dr. Christopher Russell, who has previously led several other studies on e-cigarettes. Researchers sent survey invitations to members of four "consumer and trade organizations," including the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA), the American Vaping Association (AVA), and Not Blowing Smoke (NBS). Links to the survey were also posted on social media and on forums such as ECF and Vapes Planet, resulting in 20,836 usable responses.
According to the survey data, in 2016, people who had started using e-cigarettes 3 to 5 years earlier mostly chose tobacco flavor as their first flavor. However, tobacco and menthol flavors became less popular among people who had only recently started using e-cigarettes. Since 2013, fruit-flavored e-liquid has gradually overtaken tobacco flavor to become the most popular flavor for people starting to use e-cigarettes. The proportion of first-time users choosing dessert/pastry-flavored e-liquid has also continued to rise.
Among the flavors people currently use, the three most popular categories are fruit/fruit drink, dessert/pastry, and candy/chocolate. Among former smokers, only 14.8% preferred tobacco flavor, while 14.3% preferred menthol. About 40% said they used a mix of two or more flavors. Even dual users—people who use both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes—did not prefer tobacco flavor. Only 15.9% favored tobacco flavor, and 16.3% chose menthol as their favorite.These results make sense to many vapers, because after quitting smoking, people tend to prefer flavors that do not remind them of smoking. In addition, as taste buds gradually recover after quitting, people often become more fond of sweeter flavors.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long proposed banning flavors such as fruit and dessert in e-liquid because it believes fruit and other sweet e-liquids are particularly attractive to young people. In a statement on the proposed regulations, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said: "We have found that these e-cigarette flavors are very appealing to children, and they may encourage adolescents to smoke."
The FDA has already tried once to ban flavored e-cigarette products, except for tobacco and menthol. In fact, however, the FDA has not presented clear evidence that these e-cigarette flavors attract young people to smoking. Nevertheless, Scott Gottlieb and other staff members still seemed determined to push forward with their plan. In an effort to make tobacco products less addictive and less appealing, the FDA was preparing to ban multiple e-liquid flavors.If regulators do ban non-tobacco e-liquid flavors, it would damage the legitimate U.S. e-cigarette market. The flavors targeted for prohibition are precisely the ones most people currently prefer. If these e-liquid flavors can no longer be sold, vape shops and some online retailers would be hit hard, and some could even be forced to shut down. Moreover, these flavors play an important role in helping smokers reduce cigarette consumption and quit smoking. If they are banned, would this group of people return to smoking cigarettes?
