title: Analysis of Polish internet retail sites offering electronic cigarettes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic cigarettes as possibly healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes are gaining popularity worldwide, although they are still hazardous to human health. Partly it is caused by unregulated advertising and online sales. Unfortunately it is more and more popular for youth to try electronic cigarettes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the marketing claims used by Polish websites offering electronic cigarettes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search using Google search engine was performed in July 2015 for two keywords: e-papierosy [e-cigarettes] and elektroniczne papierosy [electronic cigarettes]. First 150 websites (15 pages) were listed. After initial review 86 pages met all inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Pages were searched for presence of 13 selected marketing claims as well as age-related warning and any social websites connections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age-related warning was present on only 33.72% (n=29) websites. Two thirds has its own Facebook fan-page with average 1922.09 ± 3634.86 likes. Articles about health are available on 10.46% (n=9) websites, 53.49% (n=46) states that e-cigarettes are healthier than conventional ones, 39.53% (n=34) emphasized that during usage of e-cigarettes no tarry substances are produced. Two pages had special article in which conventional and electronic cigarettes were compared. Almost half (44.19%) remarked that e-cigarettes are cheaper in usage than conventional, one third pointed out the simplicity of usage. 32.56% advertised e-cigarettes as aid in quitting smoking. One fourth stated that e-cigarettes are harmless for surroundings. 33.72% marketed them as a way of bypassing public smoking act. 56.98% remarked the variety of liquid tastes offered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electronic cigarettes and their rising popularity create another new possible threat for public health as the widely available information emphasize safety of e-cigarettes usage and as their availability and usage is not limited or restricted by law.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, internet retail websites.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał Konrad
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Zarobkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Mateusz Mariusz
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Woźniakowski
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosław Aleksander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sławiński
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Patryk Michał
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Samborski
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wawryk-Gawda
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lublin, Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Radziwiłłowska 11 Street, 20-080 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jodłowska-Jędrych
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland; D040241:Social Marketing; D019460:Tobacco Industry