This data brief highlights trends in e-cigarette unit sales in selected states. Data is presented from
February 2019 to
September 2024.
Notice of Updated Format and Revision to Previous Data Estimates
In conjunction with the forthcoming release of our new project website – Tobacco Monitoring – this brief has an updated layout and color scheme.
The data in this brief have been updated to capture new e-cigarette products coded by IRI. Historical sales estimates may differ from previous briefs.
Federal Flavor Regulatory Initiatives
In February 2020, FDA began prioritizing enforcement of existing regulations against prefilled e-cigarette cartridges in flavors other than tobacco and menthol. This prioritization did not apply to e-liquid bottles or single use disposable e-cigarettes
FDA began issuing marketing denial orders for flavored e-cigarette products as of September 9, 2021.
On April 15, 2022, FDA was granted authority to regulate products containing nicotine from any source, including synthetic nicotine produced in a laboratory.
Other Relevant Issues
During the period covered by this brief, additional flavored tobacco products continued to be marketed, such as flavored cigars; or entered the market, such as nicotine pouches.
Units of e-cigarettes are not adjusted to account for variations in unit size. Large-format disposable e-cigarettes that allow for thousands of “puffs” are now available. Declines in unit sales may not signify declines in prevalence of use or consumption.
Following California’s prohibition of flavored tobacco product sales in December 2022, sales of products branded as clear, clear ice, and unflavored, likely containing non-menthol synthetic cooling agents, increased (e.g., Flum Pebble Clear, EB Design BC5000 Clear). These products are categorized as Clear/Other Cooling for the purposes of this data brief.
The e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) outbreak in late 2019 and COVID-19 pandemic may have affected e-cigarette sales.
State and Local Legislative Initiatives
As of September 2024, five states (Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and California) have passed laws prohibiting the sale of all non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes. In June 2024, menthol e-cigarettes were exempted from Rhode Island’s law and will be allowed for sale beginning January 2025. Two states (Maryland, Utah) restrict the sale of some flavored e-cigarettes. In addition, over 380 local jurisdictions enacted laws that restrict the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.
Beginning December 21, 2022, the sale of most flavored tobacco products is prohibited statewide.
California E-Cigarette Unit Sales by Flavor
Total Unit Sales in
Thousands *
*
Sales data do not reflect sales from vape shops or online retailers; dates represent end of 4-week periods;
e-cigarette accessories and devices sold without e-liquids were excluded (9.5% of total dollar sales in 2022).
Unit sales were standardized to reflect the most common package size for each product type. A standardized unit
was equal to five prefilled cartridges, one disposable device, or one e-liquid bottle.
†
All Other Flavors category includes fruit, clove/spice, chocolate, alcoholic drink (such as wine, cognac, or
other cocktails), candy/desserts/other sweets, some other flavor; Clear/Other Cooling include products with
flavor names such as clear, clear ice, or unflavored, which likely contain non-menthol synthetic cooling agents
(e.g., Flum Pebble Clear, EB Design BC5000 Clear)
Trends of Unit Sales by Flavor Following California’s Flavored E-cigarette Restriction
All stats between
12/4/2022 and
9/8/2024, unless otherwise specified
Following California’s implementation of flavored tobacco restrictions, monthly e-cigarette total unit sales decreased from 831.6 thousand to 419.4 thousand (-49.6%).
Δ Unit Sales
-49.6%
California’s decline in e-cigarette sales between December 2022 and 9/8/2024 represents 15.7% (i.e., 412.2 thousand units out of 2625.5 thousand units) of the decline in national e-cigarette sales that occurred during this period.
15.7%
Tobacco-flavored e-cigarette sales increased from 206.2 thousand to 250.5 thousand (+21.5%); unit share increased from 24.8% to 59.7%.
Δ Unit Sales
+21.5%
Non-Tobacco-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 624.0 thousand to 167.0 thousand (-73.2%); unit share decreased from 75.0% to 39.8%.
Δ Unit Sales
-73.2%
Menthol-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 211.8 thousand to 29.1 thousand (-86.2%); unit share decreased from 25.5% to 6.9%.
Δ Unit Sales
-86.2%
Mint-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 64.7 thousand to 9.1 thousand (-85.9%); unit share decreased from 7.8% to 2.2%.
Δ Unit Sales
-85.9%
All other-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 340.0 thousand to 80.8 thousand (-76.2%); unit share decreased from 40.9% to 19.3%.
Δ Unit Sales
-76.2%
All clear/other cooling flavored e-cigarette sales increased from 7.5 thousand to 48.0 thousand (+537.4%); unit share increased from 0.9% to 11.4%.
Δ Unit Sales
+537.4%
As of 9/8/2024, disposable e-cigarettes represent 90.9% of sales of prohibited flavored e-cigarettes in California.
90.9%
All estimates and analyses in this data brief based on Circana (formerly IRI, Information Resources, Inc.)
Multi-Outlet + Convenience data are by the author and not by Circana. Financial support was provided by
Bloomberg Philanthropies through a grant to the CDC Foundation. According to Circana, new e-cigarette product
coding is managed to consistently meet or exceed releasing products that cover a minimum of 95.5% of total
e-cigarette dollar sales at any given time. Coding and releasing of new products are prioritized based on
significance of dollar sales in order to continually comply with capturing at least 95.5% of total e-cigarette
dollar sales in each period.
California E-Cigarette Unit Share by Product Type
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
*
Sales data do not reflect sales from vape shops or online retailers; dates represent end of 4-week periods;
e-cigarette accessories and devices sold without e-liquids were excluded (9.5% of total dollar sales in 2022).
Unit sales were standardized to reflect the most common package size for each product type. A standardized unit
was equal to five prefilled cartridges, one disposable device, or one e-liquid bottle.
Trends of Unit Share by Product Type Following California’s Flavored E-cigarette Restriction
All stats between
12/4/2022 and
9/8/2024, unless otherwise specified
Unit share of disposable devices decreased from 52.9% to 41.0% (-11.9%); unit sales decreased from 439.8 thousand to 171.9 thousand.
Δ Unit Share
-11.9%
Unit share of prefilled cartridges increased from 46.9% to 58.9% (+11.9%); unit sales decreased from 390.4 thousand to 246.9 thousand.
Δ Unit Share
+11.9%
All estimates and analyses in this data brief based on Circana (formerly IRI, Information Resources, Inc.)
Multi-Outlet + Convenience data are by the author and not by Circana. Financial support was provided by
Bloomberg Philanthropies through a grant to the CDC Foundation. According to Circana, new e-cigarette product
coding is managed to consistently meet or exceed releasing products that cover a minimum of 95.5% of total
e-cigarette dollar sales at any given time. Coding and releasing of new products are prioritized based on
significance of dollar sales in order to continually comply with capturing at least 95.5% of total e-cigarette
dollar sales in each period.
California E-Cigarette Unit Sales by Product Type and Flavor
Prefilled Cartridges
Total Unit Sales in
Thousands *
Disposable Devices
Total Unit Sales in
Thousands *
*
Sales data do not reflect sales from vape shops or online retailers; dates represent end of 4-week periods;
e-cigarette accessories and devices sold without e-liquids were excluded (9.5% of total dollar sales in 2022).
Unit sales were standardized to reflect the most common package size for each product type. A standardized unit
was equal to five prefilled cartridges, one disposable device, or one e-liquid bottle.
†
All Other Flavors category includes fruit, clove/spice, chocolate, alcoholic drink (such as wine, cognac, or
other cocktails), candy/desserts/other sweets, some other flavor; Clear/Other Cooling include products with
flavor names such as clear, clear ice, or unflavored, which likely contain non-menthol synthetic cooling agents
(e.g., Flum Pebble Clear, EB Design BC5000 Clear)
All estimates and analyses in this data brief based on Circana (formerly IRI, Information Resources, Inc.)
Multi-Outlet + Convenience data are by the author and not by Circana. Financial support was provided by
Bloomberg Philanthropies through a grant to the CDC Foundation. According to Circana, new e-cigarette product
coding is managed to consistently meet or exceed releasing products that cover a minimum of 95.5% of total
e-cigarette dollar sales at any given time. Coding and releasing of new products are prioritized based on
significance of dollar sales in order to continually comply with capturing at least 95.5% of total e-cigarette
dollar sales in each period.
December 21, 2022
California Restricts Flavored E-Cigarettes
On November 8, 2022, California voters confirmed through referendum a law introduced in 2020 that outlined restrictions on the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes in flavors other than tobacco. The law went into effect on December 21, 2022, making California the second state to pass a comprehensive statewide tobacco flavor restriction policy.https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DCDIC/CTCB/Pages/CAFlavorTobaccoLaw.aspx
Effects of Federal and State Policy Actions on Sales of E-Cigarette Products in California
Within months of California’s prohibition of flavored tobacco products, e-cigarette sales in flavors other than tobacco decreased to a fraction of their original values. However, sales of e-cigarettes with prohibited flavors persist, with disposable e-cigarettes maintaining the largest share of these prohibited sales.
Additionally, products marketed as clear or unflavored but containing menthol and/or non-menthol synthetic cooling agentsMinetti ET, Erythropel HC, Keith R, Davis DR, Zimmerman JB, Krishnan-Sarin S, Hamburg NM. Cardiovascular Health Effects and Synthetic Cooling Agents in E-cigarettes Labeled as ‘clear’ Marketed in Massachusetts After the Tobacco Product Flavoring Ban. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 19:2024.04.18.24305863. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.18.24305863. PMID: 38699355; PMCID: PMC11065038. (categorized within the above sales graphs as “clear/other cooling”) increased in sales following the policy implementation.
Past Data Briefs
The data in this brief have been updated to capture new e-cigarette products coded by IRI.
Historical
sales estimates may differ from previous briefs.
For individual state e-cigarette sales information, click on each state’s shape on the map. You can also click on each state text below the map for e-cigarette sales data.
