National Sales of E-Cigarettes Climb

A recently released report shows that state restrictions on flavored products are critical to protect young people. E-cigarettes in youth-friendly flavors like candy and mint are top sellers and contain more addictive nicotine than ever before.

Data released in a report from the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative reveal a 47 percent increase in e-cigarette unit sales at U.S. retail outlets from 2019 through 2023, with flavor categories like fruit, candy, mint, menthol and desserts accounting for more than 80 percent of those sales.

The marked rise highlights the need for more states to adopt comprehensive statewide policies restricting sales of flavored e-cigarettes. In Massachusetts, sales restrictions, as well as a range of effective enforcement measures, reduced sales of flavored e-cigarettes by more than 98 percent in brick-and mortar retailers. The report explores similar successful efforts in California and New York. The report, “Monitoring E-Cigarette Trends in the United States: Urgent Action Needed to Protect Kids from Flavored E-Cigarettes,” also finds the most effective policies to restrict sales of flavored e-cigarettes clearly define products and include comprehensive flavored tobacco restrictions without flavor or product exceptions, incorporate community and retailer education and are supported by enforcement.

While the recently released 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey shows declines in youth e-cigarette use, the data in the report highlights the importance of continued action to reduce the availability of kid friendly flavored e-cigarettes, the vast majority of which do not have FDA authorization.

Despite these declines in youth use, nearly 40 percent of youth e-cigarette users—more than 620,000 teens—report using e-cigarettes frequently.

“The rise in e-cigarette sales, particularly those with youth-appealing flavors and graphics, is deeply concerning, especially as manufacturers evolve e-cigarette products to feature gamified devices and increased nicotine strength,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “However, the data from states like Massachusetts, California and New York demonstrate how comprehensive policies can effectively curb youth access.

E-cigarette sales have skyrocketed in recent years, with an explosion of new products—many designed to attract and addict our youth with increasingly high levels of nicotine.

Today’s e-cigarettes are available in a vast array of enticing flavors and feature sleek, colorful designs. They’re also bigger, stronger and cheaper than previous devices, which only heightens their appeal,” said Kathy Crosby, Truth Initiative CEO and president. “Even more concerning, over 80% of e-cigarettes are on the market illegally. While enforcement is vital to ending the youth e-cigarette crisis, retailers also must do the right thing, take responsibility to protect their young customers, and remove all illegal products from store shelves.”

“While the latest data from the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative show a dangerous rise in sales of e-cigarettes, they also reveal a notable decline in sales where strong policies restricting flavored e cigarettes are implemented,” said Dr. Kelly Henning, public health program lead, Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The progress in states with strong policies underscores the urgent need for more action to swiftly and successfully combat the flavored e-cigarette epidemic among youth across the United States.”