Investigating E-Cigarette Packaging (And Finding It Lacking)
As the electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) industry continues to grow, minors are using e-cigarettes at higher rates than they are using cigarettes. To date, minimal regulation of the production and marketing of these products has allowed companies to ship e-cigarettes to minors and promote unsupported claims.
In this study, researchers ordered e-cigarettes from online vendors and analyzed the shipping methods, product features, and product packaging. Adults and minors made a total of 154 attempts to purchase e-cigarettes online in 2013 and 2014 as part of the study; 125 orders (featuring 86 unique brands of e-cigarettes) were included in the analysis.
Key Findings
- Less than 40% of packages included an instruction manual and just 60% included product information.
- Less than 45% of packages included a health warning.
- Some packages included unsupported claims about e-cigarettes.
- Some products were leaking e-liquid or battery fluid on arrival.
- Package contents were rarely indicated on package exteriors.
Effective federal regulation of the manufacturing, packaging, product information and health claims surrounding e-cigarettes is necessary to ensure consumers are presented with accurate information when purchasing e-cigarettes.
Citation: Kong AY, Derrick JC, Abrantes AS, Williams RS. What is included with your online e-cigarette order? An analysis of e-cigarette shipping, product and packaging features. Tobacco Control. [Epub ahead of print] June 29, 2016. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053061.