An Assessment of Vape Shop Products in California before and after Implementation of FDA and State Regulations

Abstract

Vape shops specialize in sales of e-cigarettes and related products. This study examines whether vape shops adapted their products and services in response to changes in federal and state policies that affect the tobacco retail environment between 2014–2022. In this multicohort study, four waves of study data were used to examine the trends in products sold in vape shops in Southern California. Items sold were assessed through systematic store product observations and included categories of e-cigarettes, device modification equipment, and other products (e.g., Cannabidiol (CBD), paraphernalia). Descriptive statistics are reported. The availability of disposable devices increased from 18% at Wave 1 to 98% of shops at Wave 4. Pod mods were first observed in 79% of the shops beginning at Wave 3. Device modification drills later become obsolete, from 60% at Wave 1 to 0 by Wave 4; self-service sampling displays declined from 83% of shops to 9%. Vape shops did not carry CBD products until Wave 3 (2017/2018), when 19.0% of shops carried CBD products and 72.9% at Wave 4. Future research should examine how e-cigarette retailers and manufacturers respond to changing state and federal regulations to better understand the implications of regulatory efforts.