Annotation: This article assesses frequency of use of flavored e-cigarettes, e-liquid flavor preferences, type of e-cigarette, and smoking status among youth and adults. This study found that youth vapers are more likely than adult vapers to use fruit or sweet flavored e-cigarettes, and that adult vapers are more likely to use tobacco or menthol flavored e-cigarettes. It also concluded related behaviors like individuals who were former smokers were more likely to use non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes, and that vapers who use two or more different flavors are more likely to have made an attempt to quit. Flavors are also found to promote continued use and positive reinforcement among young adults. The intended audience of this article is other researchers, scholars, or students because this article’s findings can be built upon and referenced through other studies. This work illuminates my topic because it focuses on e-cigarette behaviors and preferences among young adults, which is my population of interest, and because it helps me understand the role of flavors in young adults’ e-cigarette-related decisions.

Annotation: This article assesses the association between exposure and susceptibility to e-cigarette marketing and e-cigarette use among youths. This study found that increased exposure to marketing is significantly associated with likelihood of e-cigarette use among adolescents. These findings are consistent with other research about promotion of traditional tobacco products and increased use. The intended audience is other researchers, scholars, and students because this article mentions the need for additional research and longitudinal studies on these relationships. This article is relevant to my topic because it focuses on the fact that e-cigarette companies’ advertisements have an impact on adolescents’ attitudes, beliefs, and likelihood of using e-cigarettes. This article also focuses on adolescents which is my population of interest.

Annotation: This article assesses perceptions of the harm and addictiveness of JUULs and frequency of use among adolescents aged 13-17. This study found that most individuals believe using a JUUL will put them at some, very minimal risk, and a smaller portion of the sample believed they could use a JUUL without ever being harmed or becoming addicted. They also found that they believed JUULs/e-cigarettes are less harmful and addictive than traditional tobacco cigarettes which is consistent with other studies. The intended audience is other researchers because the authors express that there is a gap in research about adolescents’ perceptions of harm and addictiveness for e-cigarettes. This illuminates my topic because it shows that many adolescents are unaware of the harms of e-cigarettes which can lead to continued use, nicotine addiction, and poor health outcomes related to smoking. I am interested in educating adolescents who may be unaware and susceptible to engaging in this behavior.

Annotation: This article assesses perceived harm and addictiveness of e-cigarettes among youth. This study found that those who have never used an e-cigarette are more likely to believe that they are harmful than those who currently use e-cigarettes. Individuals also reported that they believe flavored e-cigarettes are less harmful than non-flavored e-cigarettes. This article is related to the previous article in the bibliography because they both discuss harm and addictiveness perception and they found similar results. It also relates to other research regarding the addictiveness of flavors in e-cigarettes because this article declares the lower perceived harm of flavored e-cigarettes as worrisome since they are indeed harmful and flavors in e-cigarettes is a main reason why adolescents use e-cigarettes. The intended audience for this article is researchers to build upon these findings and further research relating topics such as risk factors for using e-cigarettes among adolescents. This article is beneficial to my topic and project because it found consistent results and shows the difference in attitudes and perceptions about e-cigarettes between users and non-users. It also reinforces the role of flavors on one’s harm and addictiveness perception, as well as use and frequency of use. Lastly, this article also relates to the second article in the bibliography because it mentions the role of marketing and the role of flavors in tobacco/e-cigarette advertisements.

Annotation: This article introduces vaping as an epidemic, especially among adolescents. It also highlights factors that contributed to the increase in e-cigarette use such as marketing, flavors, sleek designs, lax regulations, lack of research and data, and perceptions around e-cigarettes. It also discusses challenges adolescents face while engaging in the behavior such as excessive spending, withdrawal symptoms, developing nicotine addictions, and vaping-related health issues. The intended audience is the general public to inform them about what vaping is, the possible consequences, and ways to educate parents and adolescents about the dangers of vaping. This illuminates my project topic because it gives a solid, informative overview about vaping and its rise to become an epidemic among teens which is my target audience. It also touches on policy challenges and medical perspectives which require more research, but offer new perspectives for me to consider in my project.