Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Proactive Smoking Cessation Intervention for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Smokers: The Role of Smoking-Related Stigma.
Smoking denormalization has been paralleled by reduced smoking prevalence, but smoking rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations remain high. The social unacceptability of smoking has also led to increased perceptions of smoking-related stigma. By examining how smoking stigma influences cessation intervention effectiveness, we can better tailor interventions to socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers. ⋯ Smoking denormalization has led to increased perceptions of smoking-related stigma among many smokers; however, little is known about how this stigma influences the cessation process. In the present study, smokers with lower levels of perceived smoking-related stigma lived in social environments that were more conducive to smoking and were less motivated to quit than higher stigma smokers. Despite these barriers, our proactive outreach cessation intervention was more effective for lower stigma smokers, suggesting that interventions which utilize proactive outreach to stimulate interest in quitting and offer facilitated access to free cessation treatments are an effective treatment approach for these hard-to-reach smokers. These strategies may be particularly effective for motivating smokers enrolled in government-subsidized health insurance programs to take advantage of cessation resources.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effects of Switching to the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 Menthol, Smoking Abstinence, or Continued Cigarette Smoking on Biomarkers of Exposure: A Randomized, Controlled, Open-Label, Multicenter Study in Sequential Confinement and Ambulatory Settings (Part 1).
The menthol Tobacco Heating System 2.2 (mTHS) is a newly developed candidate modified-risk tobacco product intended to reduce exposure to the harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) of conventional cigarette (CC) smoke. This study examined the impact of switching to mTHS on biomarkers of exposure to HPHCs relative to menthol CCs (mCCs) and smoking abstinence (SA). ⋯ This randomized study compared the impact of switching to a modified-risk tobacco product candidate mTHS on biomarkers of exposure to HPHCs of cigarette smoke relative to continuing smoking cigarettes or abstaining from smoking in sequential confinement and ambulatory settings. The study showed that switching to mTHS was associated with significant biomarker reductions within 5 days in confinement, these reductions being maintained throughout the ambulatory setting up to day 90. The results provide evidence that switching to mTHS reduces real-life exposure to HPHCs in adult smokers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Cigarette Graphic Warning Labels Are Not Created Equal: They Can Increase or Decrease Smokers' Quit Intentions Relative to Text-Only Warnings.
Cigarette graphic-warning labels elicit negative emotion. Research suggests negative emotion drives greater risk perceptions and quit intentions through multiple processes. The present research compares text-only warning effectiveness to that of graphic warnings eliciting more or less negative emotion. ⋯ This research is the first to directly manipulate two emotion levels in sets of nine cigarette graphic warning images and compare them with text-only warnings. Among adult and teen smokers, high-emotion graphic warnings were associated with increased risk perceptions and quit intentions versus text-only warnings. Low-emotion graphic warnings backfired and tended to reduce risk perceptions and quit intentions versus text-only warnings. Policy makers should be aware that merely placing images on cigarette packaging is insufficient to increase smokers' risk perceptions and quit intentions. Low-emotion graphic warnings will not necessarily produce desired population-level benefits relative to text-only or high-emotion warnings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Effect of Pack Warning Labels on Quitting and Related Thoughts and Behaviors in a National Cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Smokers.
The high prevalence of smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (39%) contributes substantially to health inequalities. This study assesses the impact of warning labels on quitting and related thoughts and behaviors for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers. ⋯ Graphic warning labels are likely to be effective for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers as they are for the broader Australian population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Reduced Exposure to Harmful and Potentially Harmful Smoke Constituents With the Tobacco Heating System 2.1.
Heating rather than burning tobacco reduces levels of harmful and potentially harmful constituents, and consumer products using this approach aim to reduce exposure to tobacco toxicants. The Tobacco Heating System (THS) version 2.1 has been enhanced from earlier prototypes with an improved heat control and sensorial experience and thereby user acceptance. Exposure measurements are required to determine whether it may be possible to reduce the individual health risk compared to smoking combustible cigarettes (CCs). ⋯ Exposure markers to harmful and potentially harmful smoke constituents were lowered with the THS 2.1. Heating tobacco instead of burning can offer a potentially lower risk of delivering nicotine compared to CCs.