The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Thursday that sales of e-cigarettes have seen a significant rise of nearly 50% between 2020 and 2022[i]. This data, based on a study conducted by the CDC, reveals an upward trend in e-cigarette sales despite increasing regulations on marketing and growing concerns around the health risks associated with their use.
According to the CDC, the surge in sales has primarily been fueled by young consumers, who have shown a preference for different brands, disposable devices, and flavors. The study shows that e-cigarette unit sales have jumped from 15.5 million to 22.7 million over the past two years, marking a substantial 46.6% increase[ii]. In response to the growing demand, the number of e-cigarette brands available in the market has also risen from 184 to 269[iii]. However, there has been a decrease in unit sales over the last six months of 2022, dropping by 12.3%[iv]. This decline could be attributed to various factors, including new regulations imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), local and state restrictions, and disruptions in the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, the director of the CDC’s Office of Smoking Health, highlighted the unpredictable nature of e-cigarette sales and use patterns, drawing attention to the sharp increase in youth e-cigarette use in 2017 and 2018, driven primarily by the popularity of JUUL[v]. Kittner emphasized the importance of monitoring usage trends and gathering real-time data to address and reduce youth tobacco use[vi].
The study also revealed insights into the flavors preferred by consumers. Non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes, particularly menthol, dominate the prefilled cartridge market, while fruit and candy flavors are popular in the disposable e-cigarette market[vii]. These findings correlate with data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, which highlights the popularity of flavored e-cigarettes among middle and high school students[viii].
Leading e-cigarette brands identified in the study include JUUL, Vuse, Elf Bar (now rebranded as EBDESIGN), NJOY, and Breeze Smoke. Notably, the Elf Bar/EBDESIGN brand has emerged as the top-selling disposable e-cigarette brand[ix]. The CDC also noted that Elf Bar/EBDESIGN played a significant role in the recent increase in e-cigarette use among 16 to 19-year-olds in Britain[x].
To combat the rising use of tobacco products, the CDC researchers advocate for comprehensive restrictions on the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, and flavored cigars. They also suggest implementing commercial control strategies such as price increases and enforcing smoke-free policies that prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and smoked tobacco products indoors[xi].
Reacting to the report, Harold Wimmer, the National President, and CEO of the American Lung Association, expressed concern about the continued appeal of e-cigarettes to young people. Wimmer urged the FDA to expedite its review of e-cigarette marketing applications and to deny applications for flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products, by the end of 2023[xii]. He emphasized the need to protect youth from the vaping epidemic.
[i] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that e-cigarette sales increased by nearly 50% between 2020 and 2022. File Photo by saeedmoin/Pixabay
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