Smoking in the 21st Century: A Comparative Analysis Between the Tobacco and ENDS Industries

In the following thesis, I explore the development of the tobacco industry in America from the late nineteenth century up until the early twenty-first century with attention paid to marketing and smoking's social impact. I then explore the emerging market of electronic cigarettes do understand how that industry targets its consumers. I compare the two eras and address the similarities and differences between them with regard to perceptions of use, innovations in each respective industry, demographics of users, and marketing strategies. I also analyze the sociological reasons behind smoking in general, as well as the theoretical basis of the socially constructed perceptions of what it means to identify as a smoker within American society. Finally, I discuss the future of the E-cigarette industry, including the state-by-state policy changes that have occurred with the increase in popularity of these devices.