Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island’s Flavored E-cigarette Restriction
All stats between 10/13/2019 and 6/16/2024, unless otherwise specified

Following Rhode Island’s flavored e-cigarette restrictions, monthly e-cigarette total unit sales decreased from 109.7 thousand to 56.3 thousand (-48.7%).

Δ Unit Sales

-48.7%

Tobacco-flavored e-cigarette sales increased from 39.5 thousand to 51.8 thousand (+31.0%); unit share increased from 36.0% to 92.0%.

Δ Unit Sales

+31.0%

Non-Tobacco-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 70.1 thousand to 4.5 thousand (-93.6%); unit share decreased from 64.0% to 8.0%.

Δ Unit Sales

-93.6%

Menthol-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 13.4 thousand to 0.0 (-100.0%); unit share decreased from 12.3% to 0.0%.

Δ Unit Sales

-100.0%

Mint-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 41.8 thousand to 0.2 thousand (-99.4%); unit share decreased from 38.2% to 0.4%.

Δ Unit Sales

-99.4%

All other-flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 14.9 thousand to 3.5 thousand (-76.6%); unit share decreased from 13.6% to 6.2%.

Δ Unit Sales

-76.6%

Between 12/4/2022 and 6/16/2024 clear/other cooling flavored e-cigarette sales decreased from 2.6 thousand to 0.8 thousand (-70.1%); unit share decreased from 2.4% to 1.4%.

Δ Unit Sales

-70.1%

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.
  • October 4, 2019

    Rhode Island Implements Temporary Emergency Flavored E-Cigarette Ban

    Rhode Island implemented a temporary emergency ban on the sale of e-cigarette products in flavors other than tobacco as a result of EVALI cases surging in the U.S.

  • March 26, 2020

    Rhode Island Enacts Permanent Restriction on Sales of Flavored Products

    The temporary ban within Rhode Island on the sale of e-cigarette products in flavors other than tobacco became a permanent restriction beginning March 26, 2020. 

  • June 1, 2024

    Rhode Island Exempts Menthol E-Cigarettes from Flavored E-Cigarette Restrictions

    Rhode Island passed budgetary legislation that exempts tobacco and menthol flavored e-cigarettes from the definition of characterizing e-cigarette flavors, exempting menthol for the first time from the state’s flavored e-cigarette restrictions. This change will be effective January 1, 2025, and enforced by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, which has been granted authority to seize products defined as flavored under the new definition. https://tax.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur541/files/2024-08/Notice_2024_04_ENDS_flavor_ban.pdf

Effects of Federal and State Policy Actions on Sales of E-Cigarette Products in Rhode Island

Following Rhode Island’s e-cigarette flavor restriction, monthly total e-cigarette sales and monthly e-cigarette sales in flavors other than tobacco have significantly decreased. In June 2024, menthol e-cigarettes were exempted from Rhode Island’s policy and will be allowed for sale starting in January 2025. https://tax.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur541/files/2024-08/Notice_2024_04_ENDS_flavor_ban.pdf

Past Data Briefs

E-Cigarette Sales by State

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.