Table 1. Materials, health warnings and claims, and other features included with adult and youth purchase survey e-cigarette orders.
| Frequency n (%) | |
|---|---|
| Materials (n=125 orders) | |
| Additional materials present | 74 (59.2) |
| Vendor information | 66 (52.8) |
| Website | 61 (48.8) |
| Phone number | 34 (27.2) |
| Email address | 8 (6.4) |
| Mailing address | 8 (6.4) |
| Social media | 7 (5.6) |
| Product information | 75 (60.0) |
| General product information | 60 (48.0) |
| Instruction manual | 48 (38.4) |
| Promotions (n=45)* | 30 (24.0) |
| Discount promotions | 17 (56.7) |
| Giveaways included in package | 8 (26.7) |
| E-liquid | 5 (16.7) |
| E-cigarette | 1 (33.3) |
| $100 wine voucher | 2 (6.7) |
| Free mail-order e-cigarette accessories | 2 (6.7) |
| Brochure on e-cigarette research | 1 (33.3) |
| Entry to win a new car | 1 (33.3) |
| Other† | 4 (13.3) |
| Warnings and claims (n=112 products) | |
| Warnings and claims present | 87 (77.7) |
| Underage warning | 85 (75.9) |
| Health warnings | 50 (44.6) |
| Pregnant/breastfeeding women | 64 (57.1) |
| Not a treatment/cessation device | 58 (51.8) |
| Specific health conditions | 50 (44.6) |
| Ingestion/contact with skin | 48 (42.9) |
| Animal warning | 39 (34.8) |
| California state-specific warning | 31 (27.7) |
| Nicotine overdose symptoms | 26 (23.2) |
| Recommends user quit smoking | 12 (10.7) |
| Not FDA approved or regulated | 2 (1.8) |
| May contain traces of nuts | 2 (1.8) |
| Harmful to aquatic organisms and environment | 1 (0.9) |
| If you are on medicine, consult your GP | 1 (0.9) |
| Nicotine is highly addictive | 1 (0.9) |
| Pro-e-cigarette claims | 11 (9.8) |
| Free of tar and other carcinogenic substances | 3 (2.7) |
| Promoted as effective cessation device | 2 (1.8) |
| No secondhand smoking concerns | 2 (1.8) |
| E-cigarettes are superior to cigarettes | 1 (0.9) |
| Recommended by WHO as NRT (false claim) | 1 (0.9) |
| Lack of data regarding long-term effects | 1 (0.9) |
| This is a smoking product | 1 (0.9) |
| “Modern, revolutionary, realistic smoking experience, no tar, carbon monoxide, tobacco; environmental benefits; cost savings; no odour or combustion by-products; freedom to smoke anywhere, not subject to most public smoking [sic] laws” | 1 (0.9) |
| Reduce risk to your health/quit smoking; safe/ fashionable/healthy; smoking anywhere; no tar no pollution | 1 (0.9) |
| Other features (n=112 products) | |
| Unusual packaging features present | 83 (74.1) |
| High-end cardboard box (often with magnetic enclosure)‡ | 36 (32.1) |
| Plastic clamshell packaging (to be hung on displays) | 18 (16.1) |
| Resembles pack of cigarettes | 13 (11.6) |
| Eyeglasses-like case | 3 (2.7) |
| Hard plastic box | 3 (2.7) |
| Metal case | 3 (2.7) |
| Product packaged in small zip-top plastic bags | 2 (1.8) |
| Product wrapped in just bubble wrap | 2 (1.8) |
| Clear cylinder plastic tube | 1 (0.9) |
| E-cig refill cartridges in a pill-like bottle | 1 (0.9) |
| Resembles classic cigarette case | 1 (0.9) |
| Tic-Tac-like package | 1 (0.9) |
| Products leaking dangerous substances | 7 (6.3) |
| E-cigarettes leaking poisonous nicotine e-liquid | 4 (3.6) |
| E-cigarettes leaking battery acid | 3 (2.7) |
*
There were 45 promotions included among 125 total orders; however, some orders had more than one promotion.
†
Other items included a pack of vendor-branded matches, a ‘product authenticity card’ and two J.R. Cigar Magazines.
‡
Similar to what one would receive when purchasing a high-end smartphone.
FDA, Food and Drug Administration; GP, general practitioner; NRT, nicotine replacement therapy; WHO, World Health Organization.