The differential categorization of novel products by institutional actors across places: The case of e-cigarettes in the US and the UK
研究了美国和英国制度行为者为何将电子烟分别归类为烟草产品和非烟草消费品，揭示了预防原则与减害原则两种视角及其对不同风险人群的影响。
Adopting a place-based approach to categorization, we explore how and why institutional actors in the US and the UK have categorized e-cigarettes differently, namely as tobacco products in the US and as non-tobacco consumer products in the UK. Our inquiry identified the historical contingencies generating two different perspectives informing these differential categorizations—precautionary in the US and harm-reduction in the UK. Embedded in these two perspectives are different future imaginaries to address the harm from cigarettes and e-cigarettes to the different population groups at risk (i.e. smokers versus youth and non-smokers). Data also show institutional actors across the two countries offering justifications for or against e-cigarettes by deploying facts from different scientific research. We theorize these findings and conclude the article by discussing the importance of adopting a place-based approach to categorization.