Exploring the opinions and potential impact of unflavoured e-liquid on smoking cessation among UK smokers and smoking relapse among UK e-cigarette users: Findings from a qualitative study

BackgroundAlthough electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) appear to be effective in helping smokers to stop smoking, concerns about use of e-cigarettes among young people have led to restrictions on non-tobacco flavoured e-liquids in some countries. However, these restrictions could reduce the appeal of these products to non-smoking youth but could have unintended consequences for smokers and e-cigarette users (vapers). MethodsIn this qualitative study, we aimed to explore smokers’ and vapers’ opinions of unflavoured e-liquids and their beliefs about how they would be impacted by hypothetical e-liquid flavour restrictions. UK adult smokers and vapers trialled an unflavoured e-liquid instead of their usual nicotine product for four hours and completed a survey and an online interview. ResultsUsing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis and graphically presented data, we found differences in smokers’ and vapers’ opinions of unflavoured e-liquid. If only unflavoured, tobacco flavoured, and menthol flavoured e-liquids remained on the UK market, some smokers and vapers may be unaffected, but some may be at a greater risk of relapsing to smoking or continuing smoking. Despite wanting to protect children from the harms of vaping, there was disagreement about whether flavour restrictions would be an effective method. ConclusionsThe findings indicate a potential adverse impact on smoking rates if e-liquid flavour restrictions are implemented in the UK.