Synthetic nicotine e-liquids sold in US online vape shops

Synthetic nicotine (relative to tobacco-derived, or natural nicotine) is an emerging feature of e-cigarettes including e-liquids in the online marketplace. This study investigated a total of 11,161 unique nicotine e-liquids sold in online stores in the US during 2021, using keyword matching approach to identify the feature of synthetic nicotine based on product description texts. We showed that in 2021, 2.13% of nicotine-containing e-liquids in our sample were marketed as synthetic nicotine e-liquids. About a quarter of the synthetic nicotine e-liquids that we identified were salt-based; the nicotine strength varied; and those synthetic nicotine e-liquids had a variety of flavor profiles. Synthetic nicotine containing e-cigarettes are likely to remain in the market and manufacturers might market those products as tobacco-free, to attract consumers who this feature as healthier or less addictive. It is important to monitor synthetic nicotine in the e-cigarette marketplace and assess how this feature influences consumer behaviors.

Automated summary

This study investigated over 11,000 nicotine e-liquids sold online in the US in 2021, finding that 2.13% of the sampled e-liquids were marketed as synthetic nicotine products. These synthetically-derived e-liquids varied in flavor, nicotine strength, and were sometimes marketed as tobacco-free to attract consumers seeking a healthier or less addictive option. Monitoring synthetic nicotine in the e-cigarette market and evaluating its impact on consumer behaviors is crucial.