E-cigarettes majorly include nicotine, propylene, glycol, glycerin, and flavorings in liquid form that gets vaporized. They are made up of a cartridge, a battery, e-liquid and an atomizer that heats up ingredients in cartridge that creates a vapor inhaled by the consumer. They are tobacco free and do not produce any combustion, smoke, and odor. E-cigarettes function similar to normal cigarettes with visible vapor and an LED light produced when the user draws on an e-cigarette, E-cigarettes tend to offer a sensation (nicotine hit) similar to conventional tobacco cigarettes. According to the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), e-cigarettes convert the chemicals such as nicotine into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user.

Increasing health awareness regarding the use of cigarettes, adoption of eco-friendly products, and the tax hike of regular cigarettes are the factors contributing to growth of the e-cigarettes market. In July 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement regarding the potential risks of using e-cigarettes, which include throat irritation and coughing. This is expected to hamper the growth of the global e-cigarettes market.

Global E-Cigarettes Market Taxonomy:

Global E-cigarettes market is segmented into:

By Product Type:

Modular
Rechargeable
Disposable

By Distribution Channel:

Hypermarkets
Supermarkets
Specialty stores
Online Stores
Others

Among product type, modular e-cigarettes segment witnessed a significant market share in 2016. The modular e-cigarettes are available in various flavors can be refilled by the user, and also allow the user to adjust the power that is delivered from the e-battery to the atomizer. E-cigarettes are gaining significant traction owing to wide availability of different flavors and improved inhaling experience, which in turn is driving growth of the e- cigarettes market.

Global E-cigarette Market Outlook:

North America region is leading global e-cigarettes market. Increasing educational campaigns coupled with ban on smoking in public places in the U.S. has resulted in an approximate 31% drop in the sale of conventional cigarettes since 2005. This has created a large scale opportunity for e-cigarettes manufacturers in the U.S. thereby resulting in the growth of the market in North America. According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), an estimated 27.1% of U.S. adolescents used of e-cigarettes in 2015. This has resulted in 41 states banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors due to the increasing number of health complications associated with it. These factors could greatly hamper the growth of the e-cigarettes market in North America.
Europe is projected to be the fastest growing market for e-cigarettes, owing to the high prices and regulations that are imposed on cigarettes in the developed economies of the European region. For instance according to the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), number of smokers using e-cigarettes regularly have increased from 2.7% in 2010 to 17.7% in 2014 in the U.K. and it is expected to witness a substantial increase during the forecast period on account of the health complications due to the combustion of tobacco in cigarettes. The smoke forms a sticky chemical slurry called tar, and the tar coats delicate parts of the lungs. However e-cigarettes don’t produce tar, because they don’t burn (or even contain) tobacco or other plant material. This is expected to drive growth of the market in the European region.

Manufacturers are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions in order to increase their share in the global e-cigarettes market. For instance Philip Morris International (PMI) merged with Altria in 2013 in order to market e-cigarettes. This resulted in PMI gaining the right to sell Altria's e-cigarettes outside the U.S.

Key players in Global E-cigarettesMarket -

Some of the key players operating in the global e-cigarette market include Japan Tobacco Inc., Reynolds American, Philip Morris International, Altria Group Inc. VMR products, and British American Tobacco.

Key Developments:

Product Launch/Service: Kwit Stick, Vaping Company, introduced a USB-recharging vaporizing pen that emanates with a starting kit. It consists of pen device charging cable with all four flavor pods along with a bottle to help with refilling.
Research and Development: Imperial PLC and UK British American Tobacco PLC, one of the prominent Tobacco companies, are investing millions of dollars into research, development, and marketing cigarette alternatives due to decreasing popularity of traditional smoking methods in developed regions.
Merger/Acquisition: Japan Tobacco International acquired E-Lites, UK-based e-cigarette brand to develop/manufacture new products. This acquisition will help Japan Tobacco International to commercialize its vaporizers worldwide.
Product Launch/Service: E-Cigarette pioneer SnowPlus launches new product “Smokeless Edition” and continues to innovate within the industry.