E-cigarette sales climb, according to new report

Sales of e-cigarettes increased by almost 50% from 2020 to 2022, according to a report published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report also found that after January 2020, sales of mint- and other-flavored prefilled cartridges died down, and disposable e-cigarettes in fruit, sweet, and other flavors increased. Disposable e-cigarettes in youth-appealing flavors are now more commonly sold than prefilled units.

Additionally, the total number of e-cigarette brands increased 46.2% during the study period, from 184 to 269.

“Increases in the number of available e-cigarette brands during the study period and changes observed in the top five brands during December 2022 reflect the dynamic nature of the e-cigarette market,” wrote study authors in the report.

Among 184 brands, the top five in descending order of sales were JUUL, Vuse, NJOY, My Blu, and Puff for the 4-week period ending January 26, 2020. During the 4-week period ending December 25, 2022, the top five brands were Vuse, JUUL, Elf Bar, NJOY, and Breeze Smoke. Vuse, JUUL, NJOY, and My Blu are prefilled cartridge brands, while Puff, Elf Bar, and Breeze Smoke are disposable.

In the United States, the prevalence of e-cigarette use is markedly higher among youths and young adults than it is among adults. In 2021, 4.5% of all adults aged 18 years or older and 11.0% of young adults aged 18 to 24 years used e-cigarettes. During 2022, 14.1% of high school students used e-cigarettes.

Citing the appeal of flavored e-cigarettes to children, FDA announced in 2020 that it would prioritize enforcement against prefilled e-cigarettes in flavors other than tobacco and menthol based on the prevalence of use of these products among youth at the time. “The present study’s findings indicate that after this announcement, retail sales of mint- and other-flavored prefilled cartridges halted while notable increases in sales of fruit- and mint-flavored disposable products occurred,” study authors noted.