E-Cigarette Sales Skyrocket 50% During Pandemic—But FDA Restrictions Showed Some Success

Topline

Monthly e-cigarette sales saw a massive increase from 2020 to 2022 that was driven in large part by disposable e-cigarettes and fruity flavors, despite a decrease in more traditional flavors and devices—indicating the vaping devices are still popular among young adults, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After the FDA began targeting non-menthol or tobacco flavored prefilled devices there was a notable … [+] increase “in sales of fruit- and mint-flavored disposable products,” that largely appeal to youth. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Key Facts

From January 2020 to December 2022, e-cigarette sales in the U.S. increased by 46.6%, rising to almost 23 million units monthly; however, there was a 12.3% decrease in sales from May to December 2022.

Though sales broadly skyrocketed, they varied by flavor and type of device: During the period, sales of tobacco and mint flavor e-cigarettes decreased by 8% and 4%, respectively, while fruitier flavors increased by about 11%; menthol-flavored disposable devices also saw a decrease, but menthol devices overall didn’t significantly change.

Prefilled cartridge sales—like those sold by Juul—decreased from 75.2% to 48% in terms of unit shares, while disposable e-cigarette sales more than doubled, from about 24.7% to 51.8%.

The study concluded the decline seen at the end of 2022 may have been tied to local and state restrictions on flavored sales, U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory actions and potential supply chain disruptions and inflation due to Covid-19.

In 2020, the FDA worked to limit flavors in prefilled e-cigarettes—devices where pods can be replaced—other than tobacco and menthol by ordering the removal of all other flavors of cartridge and pods from the market, however, the study indicated that then led to “notable increases in sales of fruit- and mint-flavored” products in the form of disposable devices.

Key Background

The FDA began targeting prefilled e-cigarette manufacturers after a sharp increase in youth e-cigarette use in 2017 and 2018. Companies like Juul—which the FDA has said largely drove the increase in youth vaping—have said they didn’t intend to market to kids and their devices are focused on helping adults quit smoking cigarettes. When the FDA focused its attention on products with flavors other than menthol and tobacco—which it theorized could help adults quit cigarette smoking—Juul and others discontinued pod flavors like mango and creme, but data shows youth were still interested in the devices. In 2022, more than 2.5 million kids—and 14% of high school students—used e-cigarettes, according to the CDC. But, the decrease in sales of products like menthol and tobacco prefilled devices specifically targeted by FDA regulations indicated, according to the most recent study, that regulation can be successful in limiting sales.

Crucial Quote

“Retail sales data are key to providing real-time information on the rapidly changing e-cigarette landscape, which is essential to reducing youth tobacco use,” said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, in a news release.

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Key Facts

Key Background

Crucial Quote

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