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Updated: Jan 13, 2026
Comparing the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in a Novel In Vivo Exposure System
Published on: May 24, 2017
Responses to e-cigarette nicotine source descriptors: results from a randomised experiment
Andrew B Seidenberg1,2, Mona Azadi3, Nathaniel A Silver3
1Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA aseidenberg@truthinitiative.org.
Background:
E-cigarettes made with synthetic nicotine are often marketed using "tobacco-free nicotine" and "non-tobacco nicotine" descriptors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether variations in nicotine source descriptors impacted young adult perceptions of e-cigarette harm and addictive potential, and susceptibility to e-cigarette product use.
Methods:
We conducted an online between-groups experiment among young adults (aged 21-29). Participants were randomly assigned to view an advertisement for a fictional e-cigarette brand with one of four nicotine source descriptors: "Made with … "synthetic nicotine"; "tobacco-free nicotine"; "non-tobacco nicotine"; "nicotine from tobacco"; or a control (no descriptor). Outcomes included harm perceptions, addictiveness perceptions and susceptibility to use. Analyses were stratified by past 30-day e-cigarette users (n=642) and past 30-day non-e-cigarette/tobacco users (n=670).
Results:
Among past 30-day e-cigarette users, mean e-cigarette harm and addictiveness perceptions varied across conditions (all p values <0.05), though susceptibility to use the advertised product did not (p=0.564). Among non-e-cigarette/tobacco users, mean scores for select perceived harm (conditional product harm, p=0.005; unconditional nicotine harm, p<0.001) and addictiveness outcomes (relative addictiveness vs other e-cigarettes, p=0.026) varied by condition. Susceptibility to using the advertised product (p=0.328) did not vary across condition among non-e-cigarette/tobacco users. Pairwise comparisons revealed that mean differences were primarily driven by reduced harm and addictiveness perceptions for descriptors communicating absence of tobacco (ie, "non-tobacco nicotine").
Conclusions:
Nicotine source descriptors, especially "non-tobacco nicotine" and among past 30-day e-cigarette users, may reduce harm and addictiveness perceptions for e-cigarettes. Marketing regulations of nicotine source descriptors may be needed.
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