How celebrity-branded and tech-forward e-cigarettes may be contributing to youth nicotine use

In the growing e-cigarette marketplace, celebrity brands and tech-forward designs may be contributing to youth uptake of these cheap, flavored, and highly addictive products. E-cigarette manufacturers are now adding high-tech elements such as Bluetooth capability, high-definition screens, and speakers to their e-cigarette products, with some versions including games such as Pac-Man and Tetris. These products are attractive to youth and may couple nicotine addiction with gaming disorders, according to a paper published in Tobacco Control.

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Zyn rewards program follows Big Tobacco’s marketing playbook

Amid a dramatic increase in popularity, surging sales, and social media buzz, the flavored oral nicotine pouch brand Zyn is now enticing users with a rewards program that allows them to score freebies using points earned by purchasing their nicotine products. Customers can scan Zyn cans to collect points, which can be exchanged for high-tech gifts such as Amazon gift cards, iPads, and Dyson AirWraps. However, users may not realize that Zyn – which is owned by Philip Morris International – is pulling from the same playbook that tobacco companies have used to addict people for nearly a century.

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This week in tobacco policy news

Denver, Colorado – A bill will be introduced to prohibit flavored tobacco products from local store shelves.
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