‘Proudly Canadian and ‘no Big Tobacco affiliation: STLTH e-cigarette advertising and positioning in Canada

The global e-cigarette industry’s estimated worth was $21 billion in 2021, with Canada identified as one of the world’s top-selling markets.1 In Canada, market tracking data reveal that e-cigarette sales made at convenience stores increased by 52% from 2019 to 2020.1 Specialty vape shops were initially the standard for acquiring e-cigarettes, but convenience stores are emerging as key retailers. Euromonitor International’s market research—commissioned by Health Canada—indicates: ‘The rapid evolution of the vaping market in Canada is unprecedented. The entry of closed devices and increased accessibility to vaping products have had a dramatic impact on the Canadian market and fueled a period of growth through 2019’.2 The report goes on to identify that the key factors fostering growth of the Canadian e-cigarette market include new retail channels (ie, the addition of convenience stores that made e-cigarettes more widely available), the introduction of nicotine salts (enabling high-nicotine…

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