E-Cigarette Marketing Targets Youth

Rylee Greenwalt, Chieftain Editor

Teenagers are easily attracted to the new trend of e-cigarettes in today’s world. Since teens are spending nearly all of their day on social media, e-cigarette companies pay millions for advertisement on every type of social media they can get their hands on. In 2015, for JUUL’s launch, they spent more than one million dollars to market the device throughout the internet including Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube. According to this study of social media growth corresponding with JUUL related posts during 2015, 765 on a monthly average progressively increased to 30,565 in a month by 2017. Youth are susceptible to e-cigarette ads, and 18 million youth were revealed to e-cigarette ads in 2014. Over 10 million high school students and nearly 8 million junior high students were aware of e-cigarette ads viewed in retail stores, internet, magazine, newspapers and streaming subscriptions. E-cigarette companies have rapidly increased their funds for advertising, from $6.4 million in 2011 to $115 million in 2014. Relaxation, independence, and rebellion are only a few themes e-cigarette companies use to draw in their youth buyers. Due to e-cigarette ads increasing, United States youth’s percentage has increased in e-cigarette use due to the widespread of advertisement on social media.

Appealing flavors attract the teenage buyers, and buyers are always anticipating the next new flavor. With the companies producing new flavors every other day, it keeps the buyers coming back for more while the companies profit off of their buyers addiction to nicotine. According to an article about the introduction of appealing flavors, the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act banned flavors in cigarettes besides menthol to avoid youth involvement. E-cigarette companies take advantage of this restriction by offering favorable flavors, such as cotton candy and gummy bear. Introducing fun flavors like these draws the younger crowd to the e-cigarette companies. In May 2018, the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission took collective action against e-liquid companies that marketed their products to look like sweet treats or other food items. Youth may be the highest targeted population for e-cigarette companies, but do not let the influence of other youth lead others to become a statistic. Photo pictured above by https://www.ejuiceconnect.com/5-Flavor-COMBO-PACK-by-Candy-King-p/5-flavor-combo-candy-king.htm.