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'Plain packaging' and health warnings can reduce appeal and increase risk perceptions of tobacco products. This study tested the effect of health warnings and restricted brand imagery on perceptions of cannabis products. Participants in Canada and the US (n = 45,378) were randomized to view packages of three cannabis brands in 2019. A 3 (health warning) x 4 (brand imagery) between-group factorial experimental design was used. Health warning conditions were: none, Canadian or US warning. The Canadian warning conditions had three messages counterbalanced across brands: pregnancy, adolescent risk, and impaired driving. The US warning mentioned the same broad risk categories. The four branding conditions ranged from packages displaying no brand imagery and uniform colours-'plain packaging'-to full brand imagery. Regression tested differences between conditions on product appeal, perceived harm, and free recall of warning messages. Overall, full branding and plain packaging were rated the most and least appealing, respectively (p < 0.001). Products were rated as significantly less harmful when they had a white background with no or limited branding versus a coloured background (p ≤ 0.01). Products with health warnings were rated significantly less appealing and more harmful than those with no warning (p < 0.001). Message recall was significantly higher for Canadian versus US health warnings, and for the US warning versus no warning (p < 0.001). Message recall was greater among those who saw plain versus fully branded packages for two of the three warning messages (p < 0.01). Prominent health warnings and restrictions on brand imagery may be warranted in jurisdictions considering non-medical cannabis legalization., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The tobacco and nicotine market is diversifying. Implications for public health will depend on trends in use, including overall use, and who is using these products. This study examined differences over time (2017-2019), across countries (Canada, England, the United States (US)), and by smoking and vaping, in use of other tobacco/nicotine products and overall use., Methods: The study includes online repeat cross-sectional surveys of youth aged 16-19 years in Canada (N = 11,714), England (N = 11,170), US (N = 11,838) in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Past 30-day use of tobacco/nicotine products (any, cigarette, e-cigarette, other combusted [cigars/cigarillos/waterpipe], other non-combusted [smokeless tobacco/nicotine replacement therapies) were examined by country, year, and, for other combusted and non-combusted products, past 30-day cigarette smoking and vaping. Use of emerging products (IQOS, nicotine pouches) was explored in 2018-2019., Results: From 2017 to 2019, use of any product increased in Canada (17.1%-23.2%, AOR = 1.07 [95% CI = 1.04-1.09]) and the US (18.0%-24.0%, AOR = 1.06 [1.04-1.09]) but not England (20.8%-21.7%, AOR = 1.01 [.99-1.03]). Use of other combusted products (cigars/cigarillos/waterpipe) showed little change (Canada: 8.1%-7.8%; England: 6.3%-7.3%; US: 8.6%-8.5%; p ≥ .151). Use of other non-combusted products (smokeless/nicotine replacement therapies) increased in all countries (Canada: 1.5%-3.2%, AOR = 1.02 [1.01-1.02]; England: 1.4%-2.6%, AOR = 1.02 [1.01-1.03]; US: 3.3%-4.9%, AOR = 1.02 [1.01-1.02]). Vaping increased in all countries (Canada: 8.4%-17.8%; England: 8.7%-12.6%; United States: 11.1%-18.5%; all p < .001). Smokers and vapers reported greater use of other combusted and non-combusted products than those who neither smoked/vaped (p < .001). Emerging product use was rare (≤1.5%)., Conclusions: Youth past 30-day tobacco and nicotine product use increased from 2017 to 2019 in Canada and the United States, largely due to increases in vaping and other non-combusted products. "Other" tobacco/nicotine products were used predominantly by youth who smoked cigarettes and/or vaped., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The current study examined prevalence and correlates of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in the Canadian population, using data from the nationally representative 2013 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (n=14,565). Sociodemographic correlates of e-cigarette use (ever, and in the past 30 days) were examined using logistic regression models. Overall, 8.5% of Canadians aged 15 and older reported having ever tried an e-cigarette; 1.8% had used one in the past 30 days. E-cigarette use was particularly high among smokers and young people. Overall, prevalence did not differ between males and females, for ever (P=0.24) or past 30-day use (P=0.30). Smoking status was the strongest correlate of e-cigarette use (ever and in the past 30 days, P<0.0001): 37.3% of current smokers had ever tried an e-cigarette (9.6% used in the past 30 days), compared to 3.0% of never-smokers (0.3% past 30-days), and 5.1% of former smokers (0.9% past 30-day). E-cigarette use also varied by age (P<0.0001): prevalence was highest among youth aged 15-19 (19.8% ever; 2.6% past 30-day) and young adults aged 20-24 (20.1% ever; 3.9% past 30-day), and decreased with age. Among youth, the majority of e-cigarette users were never-smokers, while the majority of adult users were smokers. In Canada, e-cigarette use is particularly high among smokers and young people. Dual use with cigarettes was common, with most e-cigarette users also smoking conventional cigarettes. Continued monitoring of e-cigarette use and its relationship with smoking should be a priority, given the rapidly-evolving e-cigarette market and implementation of new policy measures., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)