Electronic cigarette related topics with conflicting arguments in Chinese newspapers

Abstract

INTRODUCTION While debates on e-cigarettes are mainly conducted in scientific fora, media are the most accessible information source for the public, shaping their perceptions of health issues. This study is the first to examine e-cigarette related topics with conflicting arguments presented in Chinese newspapers. METHODS The Chinese terms for 'e-cigarettes' were searched in a widely used Chinese news database Wisenews. Content analysis of the full text of 639 news articles was conducted to identify topics with conflicting arguments and examine whether the dominant argument in each topic changed across four time periods from 2004 to 2019. RESULTS Twelve e-cigarette related topics with conflicting arguments were identified. The most frequently reported topic was health impact of e-cigarettes, followed by impact of secondhand aerosol exposure, smoking cessation, relative health impact of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes, and e-cigarette policies outside China. At the same time, the price was the least frequently reported topic. Overall, negative arguments outnumbered positive arguments in the study period. The dominant arguments within many topics changed across time periods; however, within the topics of relative health impact of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes, taste/flavor, and economic prospects of the industry, positive arguments were more frequently reported in almost all periods. Within the topics of addiction, policies in China, and policies outside China, negative arguments were more frequently reported in virtually all periods. CONCLUSIONS Though overall the dominant argument about e-cigarettes and health was 'e-cigarettes are harmful', in the early time periods, e-cigarettes were reported as 'harmless' or even 'healthy'. As China began to regulate e-cigarettes, the reporting on e-cigarettes more frequently included the 'e-cigarettes are harmful' argument. The consistent, more frequent reporting of 'good e-cigarette taste/ flavor' has the potential to attract young people to e-cigarette products. The increased reporting on policies unfavorable to e-cigarettes aligned with the growing number of regulations restricting e-cigarettes.

The portrayal of electronic cigarettes in Indonesia: a content analysis of news media

“…However, despite the dominance of negative frames, the number of positive frames toward e-cigarettes on the health-impact topic was higher than on other topics. This indicates how massive the harm reduction frames were in the news media and shows the importance of health impacts as a key in influencing public opinion and the government in forming a policy [ 21 , 25 ], besides directly discussing regulations for e-cigarettes in the news media [ 18 , 21 , 23 , 26 ]. In the past, the tobacco industry did the same thing for light and mild cigarette products, which were promoted as low-risk products (low tar).…”

“…This study integrated the methodology used in previous studies by Lyu, Yates, Wackowski, and Kim [ 18 , 21 – 23 ]. To collect Indonesian news articles from 2020 to 2021 (January 1 to December 31), we used a paid service database from eBdesk, which is a research-based company focused on information management implementation using artificial intelligence [ 24 ].…”

Electronic Cigarette Portrayal in Indonesia: A Content Analysis of News Media

“…This study reported that positive articles and arguments about e-cigarettes in Indonesia outnumbered the negative articles and arguments, the contrast situation reported in the Chinese and South Korean news media [18,20]. However, there are similarities regarding the topic that is discussed the most.…”

“…However, there are similarities regarding the topic that is discussed the most. The health impacts issue was the most discussed topic and became a key in in uencing public opinion and the government [18,22], besides directly discussing regulations for electronic cigarettes in the news media [17,18,20,23]. This indicates how massive was the harm reduction frames in the news media.…”

“…This study combined the methodology used in the previous studies from Lyu, Yates, Wackowski, and Kim [17,18,19,20]. We used paid service database from eBdesk to collect the Indonesian news articles from 2020 to 2021 using keywords; 'rokok elektronik', 'rokok elektrik', 'e-rokok', 'vape' and 'vaping'.…”