How do underage youth access e-cigarettes in settings with minimum age sales restriction laws? A scoping review

Abstract

Background Despite measures to reduce young people’s access to electronic cigarettes (ECs), or “vapes”, many countries have recorded rising youth vaping prevalence. We summarised studies documenting how underage youth in countries with minimum age sales restrictions (or where sales are banned) report accessing ECs, and outline research and policy implications. Methods We undertook a focused literature search across multiple databases to identify relevant English-language studies reporting on primary research (quantitative and qualitative) and EC access sources among underage youth. Results Social sourcing was the most prevalent EC access route, relative to commercial or other avenues; however, social sourcing dynamics (i.e., who is involved in supplying product and why) remain poorly understood, especially with regard to proxy purchasing. While less prevalent, in-person retail purchasing (mainly from vape shops) persists among this age group, and appears far more common than online purchasing. Conclusions Further research examining how social supply routes operate, including interaction and power dynamics, is crucial to reducing youth vaping. Given widespread access via schools and during social activities and events, exploring how supply routes operate and evolve in these settings should be prioritized. Inadequate compliance with existing sales regulations suggest greater national and local policy enforcement, including fines and licence confiscation for selling to minors, is required at the retailer level.

Feasibility of restricting e-cigarettes to prescription only for smoking cessation

“…Current interventions to prevent youth from using e-cigarettes include flavour bans, age restrictions, warning labels, e-cigarette taxes and mass media awareness campaigns [14]. Despite attempts at mitigating youth vaping by restricting sales to minors and enforcing these bans, the number of children and adolescents who vape is still at large proportions [15]. Restricting e-cigarettes to prescription only could potentially help decrease the number of children vaping and smoking.…”