Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
  • 2 Division of Community Medicine and Public Health, International Medical University, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia. chandrashekharats@yahoo.com
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy, 2024 Jan 25;19(1):11.
PMID: 38273314 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-024-00592-z

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Marketing and sales of e-cigarettes are unregulated in Malaysia. We analyzed content displayed on e-cigarette retailer websites to identify marketing claims, promotional strategies, and product details in the year 2022.

METHODS: We analyzed 30 Malaysia-based retailer websites using a mixed methods approach. Data were extracted as the frequency of occurrences of marketing claims, presence of regulatory information, product types, and flavors of e-juice as per a predefined codebook based on published literature. We also extracted textual details published on the websites about marketing claims, and slogans.

RESULTS: Most retailer websites provided contact information and physical store addresses (83%) but only half had 'click through' age verification (57%) that seldom needed any identification proof for age (3%). Marketing claims were related to health (47%), smoking cessation (37%), and modernity/trend (37%) and none had health warnings. Promotional strategies were discounts (80%). starter kits (57%) and email subscriptions (53%). Product types displayed were rechargeable (97%) and disposable (87%) devices and e-liquids (90%) of an array of flavors (> 100). Nicotine presence, its concentration, and "nicotine is an addictive chemical" were displayed in 93%, 53%, and 23% of websites respectively.

CONCLUSION: Surveillance of content displayed online on e-cigarette retailer websites and regulation of online marketing and sales should be implemented by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. Such measures are needed to prevent access to, and initiation of e-cigarette use among the youth and adults who do not smoke.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.