As traditional tobacco smoking continues to decline in popularity due to health concerns, some smokers are trying new devices and technologies to cut down—or quit altogether. In the vaping category, closed-system e-cigarettes are gaining traction for more closely mimicking the experience of smoking combustible cigarettes.
Open- and closed-system e-cigarettes differ in the way the e-liquid is delivered to the heating mechanism. Open systems use a “clearomizer,” which is filled with e-liquid manually, whereas closed system e-cigs use prefilled tanks or cartridges that screw directly into the battery. Closed-system e-cigs also feature a mouthpiece that’s built into the tank.
JUUL, a temperature control vaporizer, uses nicotine salts as found in the tobacco leaf rather than free-base nicotine, unlike most standard e-cigarettes. By accommodating cigarette-like nicotine levels, JUUL provides satisfaction to meet the standards of smokers looking to switch from smoking cigarettes but who have not yet decided to quit. Users can simply inhale through the mouthpiece to activate the vapor. Flavor cartridges such as Creme Brulee, Virginia Tobacco and Cool Mint can be swapped in and out for changing tastes.
The e-cigarette market is currently regulated by the FDA and manufacturers are required to comply with product registration and ingredient listing requirements. Manufacturers have until 2022 to file a premarket tobacco application.
Many e-cigs on the market, including JUUL, have nicotine levels similar to standard cigarettes, making them an alternative to traditional cigarettes, and in turn, an ideal alternative for those who want to switch from cigarettes.
“At JUUL Labs, our corporate mission is simple: eliminate cigarette smoking throughout the world one smoker at a time,” says Kevin Burns, CEO of JUUL Labs. “Thirty-eight million Americans and 1 billion people around the world still smoke. Smoking remains the world’s No. 1 source of preventable death. This product was designed with adult smokers in mind and their need to break the grip of cigarette dependency.”
This focus on “smoker switching”—encouraging current smokers to switch to nicotine alternatives—could, in fact, work but further study is needed. One of the many studies available on this topic, a study conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina, found that e-cigarette users smoked 37% fewer cigarettes than non-vapers.
And, according to an NCHS Data Brief from October 2015, among current cigarette smokers who had tried to quit smoking in the past year, more than one-half had ever tried an e-cigarette, and 20.3% were current e-cigarette users. These stats suggest that e-cigs could be a helpful tool for current tobacco smokers looking to displace their cigarette use.
Offering products like these for consumers could present a unique opportunity for retailers—especially for the ability to rely less on stocking cigarettes.
This post is sponsored by JUUL Labs