Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33154067›Full record

ArticleTobacco control2021

Switching stories: user testimonials on juul.com continue to contradict JUUL's switch ≠ cessation narrative.

Joanne G Patterson, Devin T LaPolt, Alexis R Miranda, Patricia J Zettler, Micah Berman, Megan E Roberts, Brittney Keller-Hamilton, Amy K Ferketich

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tobacco control, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Toxicity and Appeal of Flavoured E-Cigarettes and Flavour Ban Outcomes: A Narrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Acute exposure to electronic cigarette components alters mRNA expression of pre-osteoblasts.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2024
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Differences in Quit Attempts, Successful Quits, Methods, and Motivations in a Longitudinal Cohort of Adult Tobacco Users by Sexual Orientation.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Joanne G PattersonThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA joanne.patterson@osumc.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-3125-2839
Devin T LaPoltCollege of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Alexis R MirandaCollege of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Patricia J ZettlerThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Micah BermanThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Megan E RobertsThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4743-2145
Brittney Keller-HamiltonThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8574-7263
Amy K FerketichThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Funding

Training Program For Cancer Prevention and ControlT32CA229114 · NCI · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI Chyke Abadama Doubeni, Peter G. Shields · 2018 to 2026
$2.0M
NCI NIH HHS T32 CA229114
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn January 2019, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) market leader Juul Labs (JUUL) launched an advertising campaign encouraging adult smokers to 'make the switch' from combustible cigarettes to JUUL. Our primary aim was to describe consumer perceptions of JUUL as communicated by members of JUUL's online social community via testimonials promoted on JUUL's website.

methodsUser testimonials that were displayed on the JUUL website in December 2019 and January 2020 were collected and coded by three reviewers. A total of 220 testimonials were coded for primary and secondary themes (eight codes within four broader themes).

resultsTestimonial writers were, on average, 43.0 years old (range 28 to 74) and reported using JUUL for an average of 21.8 months (range 9 to 59 months). The most prominent theme, present in nearly half of the testimonials, was a description of how to use JUUL, with a mention of JUUL's benefits and tips on how to use the product. Nearly four in 10 statements encouraged smokers to give JUUL a try or noted that JUUL is a better product compared with cigarettes. About one in 10 statements focused on switching from smoking cigarettes to using JUUL.

conclusionThis study presents a foundation for understanding how adult users describe JUUL, including their experiences using JUUL to 'switch' or stop smoking. Currently, the effectiveness of ENDS for smoking cessation is not supported by substantial evidence; however, if cessation is defined as 'quitting combustible tobacco products', then regulators should be aware that switch and cessation messages may not be distinct.

Indexed as

Electronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsSmoking CessationTobacco ProductsVapingAdultHumansSmokersadvertising and promotionelectronic nicotine delivery devicespublic policy

Identifiers

PMID33154067
PMCPMC8096851

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Registered trials

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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.