The Prevalence and Marketing of Electronic Cigarettes in Proximity to At-Risk Youths: An Investigation of Point-of-Sale Practices Near Alternative High Schools

abstract

This study examines the point-of-sale marketing practices used to promote electronic cigarettes at stores near schools that serve at-risk youths. One hundred stores selling tobacco products within a half-mile of alternative high schools in Southern California were assessed for this study. Seventy percent of stores in the sample sold electronic cigarettes. Convenience stores heavily frequented by youths had the highest number of interior ads for e-cigarettes and were the most likely to employ in-store product placement strategies. Increased exposure to the promotion of these products at the point of sale poses a challenge for antismoking efforts directed toward vulnerable populations.

KEYWORDS:

• at-risk youth
• electronic cigarettes
• marketing
• point of sale

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank David Tait for the development of the Samsung Galaxy S III coding system.

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by NICHD and FDA Center for Tobacco Products (R01HD077560). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration.