[Interest-driven framing: the language of the nicotine industry].

Abstract

The consumption of conventional tobacco products has been declining for years. As a result, the tobacco and nicotine industry has opened up new markets and now has a range of different nicotine products in its portfolio. The aim of the present study was to show how the nicotine industry uses language to create awareness and characterize new nicotine products as supposedly less risky than traditional tobacco products.Key terms introduced by the tobacco and nicotine industry are identified as exemplifying the interest-driven linguistic framing of new nicotine products.Terms introduced by the tobacco and nicotine industry such as "reduced-risk", "smoke- and tobacco-free", "vaping", "alternative products" can be understood as a targeted marketing strategy that trivializes the risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes, tobacco heaters and other products.The tobacco and nicotine industry has managed to establish a friendly and reassuring terminology for the newly introduced nicotine products. It is a major challenge to replace these terms with a nomenclature that adequately describes the health risks, in particular the risk of addiction and health hazards of consuming these nicotine products. Appropriate proposals will be made.