Electronic Cigarettes on Twitter - Spreading the Appeal of Flavors

Overview

Journal Tob Regul Sci

Date 2016 Nov 18

PMID 27853734

Citations 16

Authors

Kar-Hai Chu

Jennifer B Unger

Tess Boley Cruz

Daniel W Soto

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Social media platforms are used by tobacco companies to promote products. This study examines message content on Twitter from e-cigarette brands and determines if messages about flavors are more likely than non-flavor messages to be passed along to other viewers.

Methods: We examined Twitter data from 2 e-cigarette brands and identified messages that contained terms related to e-cigarette flavors.

Results: Flavor-related posts were retweeted at a significantly higher rate by e-cigarette brands (p = .04) and other Twitter users (p < .01) than non-flavor posts.

Conclusions: E-cigarette brands and other Twitter users pay attention to flavor-related posts and retweet them often. These findings suggest flavors continue to be an attractive characteristic and their marketing should be monitored closely.

Citing Articles

Social Media Marketing Strategies for Electronic Cigarettes: Content Analysis of Chinese Weibo Accounts.

Zhou X, Hao X, Chen Y, Deng H, Fang L, Zhang L J Med Internet Res. 2024; 26:e51594.

PMID: 39509702 PMC: 11582489. DOI: 10.2196/51594.

The commercial promotion of electronic cigarettes on social media and its influence on positive perceptions of vaping and vaping behaviours in Anglophone countries: A scoping review.

Chacon L, Mitchell G, Golder S PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024; 4(1):e0002736.

PMID: 38232105 PMC: 10793929. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002736.

Exploring Factors That Predict Marketing of e-Cigarette Products on Twitter: Infodemiology Approach Using Time Series.

Ezike N, Boykin A, Dobbs P, Mai H, Primack B JMIR Infodemiology. 2023; 2(2):e37412.

PMID: 37113447 PMC: 9987194. DOI: 10.2196/37412.

Categorizing IQOS-Related Twitter Discussions.

Barker J, Vassey J, Chen-Sankey J, Allem J, Cruz T, Unger J Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(9).

PMID: 33946546 PMC: 8124933. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094836.

Sex differences in associations between receiving and sharing tobacco-related information and tobacco product use among Appalachian Youth.

Mattingly D, Pfeiffer J, Walker K, Hart J Popul Med. 2021; 2(August).

PMID: 33629078 PMC: 7899165. DOI: 10.18332/popmed/125911.

References

Kim A, Arnold K, Makarenko O . E-cigarette advertising expenditures in the U.S., 2011-2012. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 46(4):409-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.11.003. View

Barrington-Trimis J, Samet J, McConnell R . Flavorings in electronic cigarettes: an unrecognized respiratory health hazard?. JAMA. 2014; 312(23):2493-4. PMC: 4361011. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2014.14830. View

Huang J, Kornfield R, Szczypka G, Emery S . A cross-sectional examination of marketing of electronic cigarettes on Twitter. Tob Control. 2014; 23 Suppl 3:iii26-30. PMC: 4078681. DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-051551. View

Minaker L, Ahmed R, Hammond D, Manske S . Flavored tobacco use among Canadian students in grades 9 through 12: prevalence and patterns from the 2010-2011 youth smoking survey. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014; 11:E102. PMC: 4068113. DOI: 10.5888/pcd11.140094. View

Bunnell R, Agaku I, Arrazola R, Apelberg B, Caraballo R, Corey C . Intentions to smoke cigarettes among never-smoking US middle and high school electronic cigarette users: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2011-2013. Nicotine Tob Res. 2014; 17(2):228-35. PMC: 4515756. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntu166. View

Farley S, Seoh H, Sacks R, Johns M . Teen use of flavored tobacco products in new york city. Nicotine Tob Res. 2014; 16(11):1518-21. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntu126. View

Goniewicz M, Zielinska-Danch W . Electronic cigarette use among teenagers and young adults in Poland. Pediatrics. 2012; 130(4):e879-85. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2011-3448. View

Lee S, Grana R, Glantz S . Electronic cigarette use among Korean adolescents: a cross-sectional study of market penetration, dual use, and relationship to quit attempts and former smoking. J Adolesc Health. 2013; 54(6):684-90. PMC: 4031306. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.11.003. View

Choi K, Fabian L, Mottey N, Corbett A, Forster J . Young adults' favorable perceptions of snus, dissolvable tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes: findings from a focus group study. Am J Public Health. 2012; 102(11):2088-93. PMC: 3469759. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300525. View

10.

Behar R, Davis B, Wang Y, Bahl V, Lin S, Talbot P . Identification of toxicants in cinnamon-flavored electronic cigarette refill fluids. Toxicol In Vitro. 2014; 28(2):198-208. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2013.10.006. View

11.

Grana R, Benowitz N, Glantz S . E-cigarettes: a scientific review. Circulation. 2014; 129(19):1972-86. PMC: 4018182. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.007667. View

12.

Etter J, Bullen C . A longitudinal study of electronic cigarette users. Addict Behav. 2013; 39(2):491-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.10.028. View

13.

Wayne G, Connolly G . Application, function, and effects of menthol in cigarettes: a survey of tobacco industry documents. Nicotine Tob Res. 2004; 6 Suppl 1:S43-54. DOI: 10.1080/14622203310001649513. View

14.

Brown J, West R, Beard E, Michie S, Shahab L, McNeill A . Prevalence and characteristics of e-cigarette users in Great Britain: Findings from a general population survey of smokers. Addict Behav. 2014; 39(6):1120-5. PMC: 4003532. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.03.009. View

15.

Laranjo L, Arguel A, Neves A, Gallagher A, Kaplan R, Mortimer N . The influence of social networking sites on health behavior change: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2014; 22(1):243-56. PMC: 4433372. DOI: 10.1136/amiajnl-2014-002841. View

16.

Dawkins L, Turner J, Hasna S, Soar K . The electronic-cigarette: effects on desire to smoke, withdrawal symptoms and cognition. Addict Behav. 2012; 37(8):970-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.03.004. View