SynthesisPloS one2018
A systematic review of consumer preference for e-cigarette attributes: Flavor, nicotine strength, and type.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 139 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
139 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Sweet Flavors and the Addictive Potential of E-Cigarettes: A Systematic Narrative Review.European addiction research · 2026Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes and cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE).BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- The impacts of e-cigarette flavours: An overview of systematic reviews.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The Influence of Cannabis and Nicotine Co-use on Neuromaturation: A Systematic Review of Adolescent and Young Adult Studies.Biological psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Flavor-Toxicant Correlation in E-cigarettes: A Meta-Analysis.Chemical research in toxicology · 2020Pooled it
- Metal/Metalloid Levels in Electronic Cigarette Liquids, Aerosols, and Human Biosamples: A Systematic Review.Environmental health perspectives · 2020Pooled it
- Patient perceptions of the use of e-cigarettes in smoking treatment programs: a qualitative analysis.Addiction science & clinical practice · 2025Trial
- Vaping to quit smoking: Qualitative study of people receiving opioid agonist treatment.Drug and alcohol review · 2025Trial
- Effects of non-tobacco flavors and nicotine on e-cigarette product appeal among young adult never, former, and current smokers.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2019Trial
- Electronic cigarette use, related health outcomes and policy interventions in the USA: a call for research to fill evidence gaps.Tobacco control · 2026Review
- Characterizing the Objective Features of Vaping Prevention Video Ads: A Content Analysis.American journal of preventive medicine · 2026Article
- Impact of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems on Oral Mucosa: A Cytopathological and Molecular Study.Journal of oral pathology & medicine : official publication of the International Association of Oral Pathologists and the American Academy of Oral Pathology · 2026Article
- Effects of commercial unflavored and vanilla-flavored e-liquids on nicotine intake and withdrawal.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Characterizing reasons for e-cigarette use among Filipino adults who smoke: A cross-sectional study.Tobacco prevention & cessation · 2026Article
- Electronic cigarettes: isolated and combined use among Brazilian adolescents in PeNSE 2019.Revista brasileira de epidemiologia = Brazilian journal of epidemiology · 2026Article
- Comprehensive E-Cigarette Flavor Bans and Tobacco Use Among Youth and Adults.Health economics · 2025Article
- Review
- Evaluating Use Patterns of a Closed Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Among Adults in the United States Who Smoke Cigarettes Daily: 8-Week Actual Use Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- The effect of e-cigarette flavor bans on tobacco use.Journal of health economics · 2025Article
79 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveSystematic review of research examining consumer preference for the main electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) attributes namely flavor, nicotine strength, and type.
methodA systematic search of peer-reviewed articles resulted in a pool of 12,933 articles. We included only articles that meet all the selection criteria: (1) peer-reviewed, (2) written in English, and (3) addressed consumer preference for one or more of the e-cigarette attributes including flavor, strength, and type.
results66 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Consumers preferred flavored e-cigarettes, and such preference varied with age groups and smoking status. We also found that several flavors were associated with decreased harm perception while tobacco flavor was associated with increased harm perception. In addition, some flavor chemicals and sweeteners used in e-cigarettes could be of toxicological concern. Finally, consumer preference for nicotine strength and types depended on smoking status, e-cigarette use history, and gender.
conclusionAdolescents could consider flavor the most important factor trying e-cigarettes and were more likely to initiate vaping through flavored e-cigarettes. Young adults overall preferred sweet, menthol, and cherry flavors, while non-smokers in particular preferred coffee and menthol flavors. Adults in general also preferred sweet flavors (though smokers like tobacco flavor the most) and disliked flavors that elicit bitterness or harshness. In terms of whether flavored e-cigarettes assisted quitting smoking, we found inconclusive evidence. E-cigarette users likely initiated use with a cigarette like product and transitioned to an advanced system with more features. Non-smokers and inexperienced e-cigarettes users tended to prefer no nicotine or low nicotine e-cigarettes while smokers and experienced e-cigarettes users preferred medium and high nicotine e-cigarettes. Weak evidence exists regarding a positive interaction between menthol flavor and nicotine strength.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.