The Effects of New E-cigarette Internet Sales Bans and E-cigarette Flavor Bans on Tobacco Use by Youth, Young Adults, and Adults

Project Outcomes Statement

Governments have tried various strategies to reduce youth vaping, including age restrictions, flavor bans, and online sales bans. The FDA and states like New York and California have implemented rules such as raising the legal purchase age and banning flavored products. However, these efforts have had mixed results. Age restrictions are often poorly enforced, and youth can still access products online or from non-compliant retailers. This study looked at how state bans on online e-cigarette sales and flavored vaping products affect smoking and vaping habits across different age groups. We found that banning online sales had no clear impact on vaping or smoking among teens or adults. Meanwhile, state-level flavor bans slightly reduced vaping among young adults (ages 18–24) but led some to switch to smoking cigarettes instead, which is known to be a more harmful behavior. For adults over 25, the bans had no significant effect. Importantly, many young people continue using banned flavors, suggesting they find ways around the rules. While stronger federal action might reduce this, the risk remains that limits on vaping could unintentionally push some users, especially young adults, toward more dangerous tobacco products. An under researched area is the effect of nicotine concentrations on use by different age groups. The results from this project highlight the need for policies that do not result on substitutions to more harmful products.