On 2017 Sep 22, Clive Bates commented:

I am struggling to see any useful purpose in this paper.

It seems to consist of finding alcohol flavours in tobacco product and e-liquids by looking on the internet. There is no data on volumes or any age-related information about sales or appeal. The authors have done nothing to show an effect that requires a regulatory intervention or anything to justify their policy conclusion.

The widespread availability of alcohol-flavoured tobacco products illustrates the need to regulate characterising flavours on all tobacco products.

No so. The widespread availability of a product is not in itself a problem. Nor is the widespread use of a product, unless its use can be linked to a harm - which the authors have not done here, other than by just asserting it. It is likely and certainly plausible that these flavours are beneficial by encouraging adults to switch from smoking to vaping and that a regulatory intervention would cause more harm than good. It is also possible that if young people were attracted to such flavours, they may be diverted from smoking to vaping, which is a benefit. Needless to say, the authors do not consider such real-world possibilities.

On 2017 Sep 22, Clive Bates commented:

I am struggling to see any useful purpose in this paper.

It seems to consist of finding alcohol flavours in tobacco product and e-liquids by looking on the internet. There is no data on volumes or any age-related information about sales or appeal. The authors have done nothing to show an effect that requires a regulatory intervention or anything to justify their policy conclusion.

The widespread availability of alcohol-flavoured tobacco products illustrates the need to regulate characterising flavours on all tobacco products.

No so. The widespread availability of a product is not in itself a problem. Nor is the widespread use of a product, unless its use can be linked to a harm - which the authors have not done here, other than by just asserting it. It is likely and certainly plausible that these flavours are beneficial by encouraging adults to switch from smoking to vaping and that a regulatory intervention would cause more harm than good. It is also possible that if young people were attracted to such flavours, they may be diverted from smoking to vaping, which is a benefit. Needless to say, the authors do not consider such real-world possibilities.