Flavored Disposable E-Cigarettes and Menthol Pods See Rise in Sales

Source: Paul Brady

According to the second report from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on national e-cigarette sales and advertising, sales of flavored disposable e-cigarettes and menthol e-cigarette pods saw a significant increase in 2020.

This growth aligns with the federal government's ban on flavored pods for young e-cigarette users, indicating a shift in adolescent e-cigarette use toward alternative products rather than a decline.

Since 1967, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been publishing reports on the sales of tobacco products, and has been reporting on sales of smokeless tobacco since 1987. Last year, the agency expanded its research into the industry and released its first report on electronic cigarettes.

This year's report on electronic cigarettes covers sales and advertising data from 2019 and 2020. During this period, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued an enforcement policy prohibiting the sale of flavored e-cigarette pods, except for menthol.

Overall, the report found that the total sales of electronic cigarettes increased from $304.2 million in 2015 to $2.05 billion in 2018, rising to $2.7 billion in 2019, but subsequently dropping to $2.24 billion in 2020.

Sales of disposable e-cigarettes (which were not banned by the FDA's 2020 policy) have greatly increased, with "other" flavored disposable products making up 77.6% of all disposable product sales in December 2020. While FTC data does not show a growth in disposable sales, the FTC report notes that the decline in 2020 may not necessarily reflect the market due to significant changes in the industry.

Similarly, the report revealed that sales of remaining non-FDA banned flavor pods, particularly the peppermint flavor, saw a significant increase, accounting for 63.5% of all pod sales in 2020.

The report also indicates that discounts on electronic cigarettes have reached a historic high, with almost free electronic cigarette samples doubling in quantity.

Samuel Levine, Director of the Consumer Protection Bureau at the Federal Trade Commission, stated in a release, "This report demonstrates that teenagers continue to face risks when purchasing flavored or discounted electronic cigarettes.

The fact is that e-cigarette marketers are very skilled in avoiding FDA regulations and attracting young people to addictive products.

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