Using the Tobacco Industry’s

Past on Vaping’s FutureAmelia Howard

University of Waterloo

How to understand the

controversy around vaping

• Cultural battle between distinct interest groups vying

to influence the public understanding of what vaping

means.

Tobacco Control (charities, academics, government)

Public Health (charities, academics, government)

Medical Profession

Wellness Industry

Pharmaceutical Industry

For profit and not for profit cessation services (e.g.

quitlines)

Cigarette companies & tobacco industry

Vaping industry

Vapers

Methods/Framework• Comparative/historical

• Goal: To understand the way in which vaping has disrupted the ecology of

tobacco as an industry, consumer market & problem area (i.e. tobacco

control, cessation, etc).

• Structural & cultural analysis. analysis of documents, discourse & writing on

vaping (2007-present). Political focus: USA.

• Methods: Multi-method, multi-platform study.

• Focus of this talk: Response of incumbent interest groups, industries

and stakeholders in the tobacco space to vaping.

• Appeals to “Lessons from the history of the tobacco industry” and

their political utility.

Why is it important to look at the cultural

aspect of the vaping controversy?

Shared understandings of vaping and the groups

advocating for and against it drive critical policy

decisions

These decisions have implications for individual well-

being, public health, social welfare

REPORTER: And, Cheryl, I know that's one of your concerns here. The other concern

is they--they're not marketing this as a step-down type approach to nicotine as all

these other products are.

Ms. HEALTON: That's right. And they're marketing in ways that are very attractive

to teenagers and young children. They have flavors like bubble

gum, chocolate, apple, berry, etc. So it can

become a gateway smoking activity for youth, and it

can also become a product that people who have quit for years end up going back to.

2009

“It looks like a cigarette and it’s

used like a cigarette, it’s

marketed as a cigarette enough has

the potential to normalize and

queue smoking behavior. Advertising

may promote modeling the use of e-

cigarettes and regular cigarettes by

use."

"Now electronic cigarettes are available

on the market in a variety of flavors

such as bubblegum, chocolate and mint."

"e-cigarettes might encourage children,

teens and young adults to take their

first step toward smoking cigarettes.

Young people may be attracted to these

products due to their novelty, safety

claims and the availability of the

products in a variety of fruit, candy,

cola and chocolate flavors."

2009

“And not only are tobacco products

highly addictive but their use is

fueled by an industry that’s

heavily in new product

development. These products are

promoted through innovative media

that makes smoking appear to be

attractive, sexy and maturing to

use. These images have no other

purpose than to hook new generations of smokers.”

“E- cigarettes closely resemble

a real cigarette. Users then

exhale a vapor that mimics smoke.

Therefore beyond potential harms to

the user the use of these products

could counter the impact

from smoke free laws as

well as other policies

that have decreased the

social acceptability of

smoking behaviors.”

2009

2009

“As the nations prevention agency we need to protect our

youth and the many generations to come from the

seduction and influence of any form of tobacco usesimulated or real.”

Between 2009-2017

• Massive declines in youth smoking.

• Regular use of e-cigarettes by never smoking youth is

extremely rare

• Yet policies that will arguably eliminate the

independent market (flavour bans, high taxes, etc)

are being enacted on the basis that we must protect

youth.

The Playbook

Big Tobacco’s Playbook: Refers to the PR machine that the

tobacco companies deployed in various ways to shape

public perception of risks of smoking and cast doubt on

scientific consensus.

2017

Lessons from the past can be

instructive for the future.

• The deployment of “lessons from the history of the

tobacco industry” by enclaves in the tobacco control

movement is political.

• It represents an attempt to assert jurisdiction over the

market by making the market into a threat to children.

• It represents an attempt to discredit legitimate citizen

objection to laws that affect them.

• But it would seem that the real lesson being put to

use is practical.

• Groups are using “the playbook” themselves to

discredit competitors (cultural or commercial) and

gain footing in the market and over the products.

The deployment of “lessons from the history of the tobacco industry” by enclaves in the tobacco control movement is an attemp

Emotional appeals to the tobacco industry’s past have been particularly useful in captivating the attention of the media.

These appeals have been effective when it comes to generating support from politicians and the public for prohibitive regulat

These appeals work to justify subjecting people who use nicotine, especially vapers, to sometimes severe forms of social c

Thank you