Research

Electronic Cigarettes: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

This statement reviews the latest science concerning one of the newest classes of products to enter the tobacco product landscape—electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), also called electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)—and provides an overview on design, operations, constituents, toxicology, safety, user profiles, public health, youth access, impact as a cessation aid, and secondhand exposure. On the basis of the current evidence, we provide policy recommendations in key areas of tobacco control such as clean indoor air laws, taxation, regulation, preventing youth access, marketing and advertising to youth, counseling for cessation, surveillance, and defining e-cigarettes in state laws. The statement concludes by outlining a future research agenda to further our understanding of this emerging area of tobacco control and the impact of e-cigarettes on public health.

August 2014

Location(s): North America, U.S.

Content Type: Report

Topic(s): Cessation, Emerging tobacco products, Information interventions, Prevalence and consumption, Product regulation, Smoke-free policies, Supply-side issues and interventions, Tax and price, Tax levels and structure, Tobacco control policies and programs, Tobacco use, Youth access

Authors(s): Aruni Bhatnagar, Laurie P. Whitsel, Kurt M. Ribisl, Chris Bullen, Frank J. Chaloupka, Ph.D., Mariann R. Piano, Rose Marie Robertson, Timothy McAuley, David Goff, Neal Benowitz

Citation