{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T20:08:11Z","timestamp":1792786091351,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"am","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"NCI & FDA Center for Tobacco Products","award":["U54CA180905"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U54CA180905"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04c42gq36","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Nicotine-free (\u201czero-nicotine\u201d) vaping devices are marketed as alternatives to nicotine, yet their promotion with flavors and claims of non-addictiveness raise concerns for tobacco regulatory science. Such marketing may encourage youth initiation, transition to nicotine vaping, or co-use with nicotine or other substances. Little is known about these products\u2019 marketing and perceptions on social media popular among youth. This study examined marketing claims of zero-nicotine products and user reactions on TikTok.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 435 TikTok promotional videos (July 2023\u2013July 2024) posted by five zero-nicotine brands. Videos were inductively coded to identify themes. User comments (N\u2009=\u20095418) were analyzed using latent Dirichlet\u00a0allocation (LDA) topic modeling and Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner (VADER) sentiment analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Among promotional videos featuring zero-nicotine products, 48% were entertaining, 39% discussed quitting nicotine, 38% portrayed zero-nicotine products as a healthier alternative to nicotine vaping or smoking, and 26% included unverified or misleading claims about health benefits. Flavors appeared in 34% of videos, taste comparisons in 20%, and \u201cnatural ingredients\u201d in 15%. LDA-detected themes in comments revealed mixed reactions: difficulties quitting nicotine, concerns about health effects of zero-nicotine products, and skepticism about their cessation effectiveness, alongside curiosity and interest in trying zero-nicotine products and their lower-risk perceptions, including among self-identified minors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Zero-nicotine products, though marketed for adult cessation, are promoted on TikTok with youth-appealing features alongside reduced harm messages. Findings highlight youth appeal, misperceptions of safety, and the need for research and regulatory attention to zero-nicotine products.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Implications<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Zero-nicotine vaping products, marketed as tools for quitting nicotine, are promoted on TikTok using entertaining, flavor-focused, and misleading health-related claims that may appeal to youth. TikTok user comments on the videos revealed mixed reactions: skepticism about health effects alongside curiosity and low-risk perceptions of zero-nicotine products, including from self-identified minors. The findings suggest the need for regulatory attention to marketing practices and claims surrounding zero-nicotine vaping products.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/ntr\/ntag184","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T11:39:33Z","timestamp":1787053173000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Just vapor? 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