Availability and advertising of electronic cigarettes in two Russian cities following implementation of comprehensive tobacco advertising restrictions

INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) continue to gain popularity globally. Jurisdictions with comprehensive tobacco control policies, which limit the use and availability of combustible tobacco products but do not regulate e-cigarettes (as in Russia), may be vulnerable to the expansion of the e-cigarette market. METHODS: Using McNemar’s test conducted in STATA, this observational study assessed changes between 2014 and 2016 in the availability of e-cigarettes across 239 retail outlets in Moscow and St Petersburg. Also, this study characterized the presence of retail advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes in 2016. RESULTS: Between 2014 and 2016, the availability and display of e-cigarettes increased within traditional tobacco product retail venues (27.6% in 2014 vs 51.9% in 2016; p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Observations indicate that there has been an increase in the proportion of retailers selling and displaying e-cigarettes.