title: Retail availability and marketing of electronic cigarettes in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Canada is among an increasing number of countries with restrictions on the sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). In Canada, e-cigarettes containing nicotine have not been approved for sale; however, e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine and do not make health claims can be sold. To date, there is little empirical evidence assessing the retail availability and marketing of e-cigarettes in countries such as Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Audits were conducted at 59 brick-and-mortar retail outlets (grocery stores, convenience stores, tobacconist shops and vape shops) in four cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax) in August-October 2014. In addition, a total of 21 e-cigarette manufacturer/retailer websites were audited, and inquiries were made as to whether the companies sold nicotine-containing products.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 76% of the retail outlets sold e-cigarette products. Of convenience stores, grocery stores and tobacconist shops with e-cigarettes for sale, the vast majority (94%) sold nicotine-free products only; in contrast, all the vape shops sold at least one nicotine-containing e-cigarette product. Front counter displays were the most common form of in-store promotions and were present in virtually all convenience stores, tobacconist shops and vape shops. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were available for purchase at approximately half (52%) of the online e-cigarette retailers surveyed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E-cigarettes with and without nicotine are widely available and marketed at a variety of retail outlets in Canada. "Illegal" sales of nicotinecontaining e-cigarettes were predominantly found at vape shops and online outlets, suggesting limited compliance with existing regulations.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: University of Waterloo. cczoli@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Christine D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Czoli
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magennis
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiplo
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D040541:Marketing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057766:Policy
keywords: E-cigarettes; marketing; policy; tobacco control