The objective of this e-cigarette conference is to create a place for international researchers and professionals working in the field of e-cigarette, and more generally anyone interested in and working on tobacco, to meet. It is intended to review ongoing research and identify any outstanding research questions by focusing on two central areas within this field: health effects and user trajectories.

This conference is based on a multidisciplinary approach: fundamental, humanities and social sciences, clinical, population health intervention research, etc.

Vaping devices, including e-cigarettes, are recent products that have now been commercially available for more than 10 years and have resulted in scientific questions and debates. The scientific community was quick to take an interest in e-cigarettes, particularly in their use as a smoking cessation tool. This interest is evident in the scientific literature with an increase in published international studies from 2016.

However, the initial scientific findings do not provide enough follow-up to assess whether – and to what extent – e-cigarettes might be beneficial or harmful for health. Further data are needed in this regard and around usage and user trajectories: do e-cigarettes aid smoking cessation, or do they encourage addiction relapses?

Since 2015, The French National Cancer Institute has been a major player in developing tobacco control research. Indeed, tobacco use is the leading preventable cancer-related death factor, making it a public health priority. INCa’s action in this field – particularly its research action – is reasserted in its ten-year anti-cancer strategy, with funding and support for research, scientific innovation, junior researchers; involvement in European initiatives,
and the provision of discussion opportunities with the scientific community to help disseminate knowledge. In this context, and to address the scientific and health challenges raised by e-cigarettes, INCa is organising – within the Addiction Fund – an international scientific meeting around e-cigarette research.