{
  "abstract": "Branding, colours, and shapes are key to the appeal of e-cigarettes, particularly among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). In the Netherlands, where only tobacco flavours are allowed, product design remains the main attractive feature. Since youth e-cigarette use threatens the government’s goal of a smoke-free generation by 2040, this project investigates whether standardising e-cigarette appearance and adding health warnings can reduce their appeal. Three studies were conducted among 1239 participants: 221 AYA e-cigarette users (12-25 years), 710 AYA non-users (12-25 years), and 308 adult e-cigarette users (26+ years). They 1) indicated their preferred e-cigarette type, 2) evaluated the attractiveness, perceived harm, and expected taste of e-cigarettes in their preferred colour, in white, and in drab-brown (Pantone 448c) colour; all with and without a printed health warning, and 3) rated the severity and likelihood of four potential e-cigarette warning messages related to addiction, short term physical health, long term physical health, and mental health effects. Study 1 showed that AYAs were more likely to use disposable (71% vs. 46%), large cylindrical (53% vs. 35%) and brightly coloured e-cigarettes (90% vs. 71%) than adults. Study 2 showed that drab-brown e-cigarettes were rated as least attractive and tasty, followed by white, then colourful. Health warnings further reduced attractiveness and tastiness, most strongly in colourful e-cigarettes. Both drab-brown colouring and health warnings independently increased perceived harm compared to colourful or unlabelled e-cigarettes. Study 3 showed that individuals perceive short-term and long-term physical consequences as more severe, but less likely to occur than addiction. To reduce e-cigarette appeal among young and prospective users, governments may consider implementing a standardised e-cigarette design using drab-brown colour and a printed health warning about physical health consequences.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "abstract",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "JG Sanders"
    },
    {
      "name": "R Wuyts"
    },
    {
      "name": "M Boer"
    },
    {
      "name": "CGGM Pauwels"
    },
    {
      "name": "R Talhout"
    },
    {
      "name": "A Havermans"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8va1zf0wajgv8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.098",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13697415/",
  "id": "8va1zf0wajgv8",
  "issns": [
    "1101-1262",
    "1464-360X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.098",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "3. PARALLEL PROGRAMME"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/MED00860"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC01210"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC02610"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223660633",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13697415/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13697415",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Oxford University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8va1zf0wajgv8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:28Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13697415",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.098"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:44Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13697415",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13697415"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Assessing the impact of a standardised appearance and health warnings on e-cigarette appeal",
  "title_text": "Assessing the impact of a standardised appearance and health warnings on e-cigarette appeal",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:34:27Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8va1zf0wajgv8",
  "venue": "The European Journal of Public Health",
  "versions": []
}