'Vape shops' and 'E-Cigarette lounges' open across the USA to promote ENDS

Abstract

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly called electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, first became available in the USA in 2007.1 Since then, US ENDS sales are reported in the press to have doubled annually to reach US$1 billion for January–August 2013.2 ENDS sales are estimated by one news source to reach US$4 billion globally by the end of 2013.3 From 2010 to 2011, awareness of ENDS among US adults increased from 40.9% to 57.9% and ever use increased from 3.3% to 6.2%.4 ENDS organisations have formed an industry that has begun advocating for its interests by promoting ENDS products and favourable policies for ENDS manufacturers and retailers.5

ENDS were initially promoted and sold online, but have quickly expanded to traditional brick and mortar retail outlets, like grocery stores and gas stations. Independent retail specialty shops that exclusively sell ENDS products, or ‘vape shops’, are opening around the USA and abroad,3 with over 3500 such shops estimated in the USA6 (figure 1). Vape shops sell ENDS products found in traditional retail stores (eg, starter kits, cartridges and disposable ENDS) but can offer a substantially …