Decoding consumers' interpretations of 'additive-free' and 'tobacco & water' cigarette advertising claims.

Objectives: In the USA, some tobacco companies replaced the marketing phrase '100% natural additive-free tobacco' with 'tobacco ingredients: tobacco & water' (T&W) after receiving warnings from the US Food and Drug Administration. This study assesses how people interpret the now-restricted additive-free claims and newer T&W claims on Natural American Spirit (NAS) and L&M cigarette packs.

Methods: An online between-subjects experiment randomised 2526 US adults to view one of three packs: an NAS additive-free pack, an NAS T&W pack or an L&M T&W pack.

A Descriptive Analysis of Beliefs About Nicotine and Switching to Noncombustibles Among Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes and Believe Nicotine Causes Cancer.

 Many people who smoke cigarettes report believing that nicotine causes cancer, a misperception that may reduce interest in switching to noncombustible nicotine products. Quantitative survey questions do not capture how this population thinks about nicotine and switching to noncombustible products.  This study used an online convenience sample of 193 US adults who smoke cigarettes and reported that nicotine causes cancer.

Youth attention, perceptions, and appeal in response to e-cigarette advertising features: A focus group study.

Background: E-cigarette marketing exposure may influence vaping-related outcomes among youth, but less is known on which specific advertising features impact youth attention, perceptions, and appeal. This study qualitatively examines responses to different e-cigarette advertising features among e-cigarette-naïve youth.

Methods: We conducted four online focus groups in 2021 with a national U.

Young adults' visual attention to features of social media marketing for disposable e-cigarettes and associated perceptions.

Background And Aims: E-cigarette marketing exposure on social media influences perceptions; however, limited knowledge exists regarding marketing features attracting the most visual attention. This study examined visual attention to features of social media marketing for disposable e-cigarettes and related product perceptions.

Design, Setting And Participants: Participants viewed 32 disposable marketing post images from social media (Instagram) using computer-based eye-tracking technology to assess standardized attention metrics of marketing features.

Longitudinal Association Between Harm Perceptions and Tobacco Behaviors Among Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes: Differential Associations Across Age Groups Using the PATH Study.

Introduction: The relationship between e-cigarette and cigarette harm perceptions and tobacco behaviors may vary by age. We examined longitudinal associations of harm perceptions with tobacco use behaviors among adults who smoke cigarettes.

Aims And Methods: Data were from Waves 4 (2016-2018) and 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health survey.

The Impact of Exposure to Food and Drug Administration E-cigarette Authorization Messages on Product Perceptions and Interest-An Experiment With Adults Who Smoke and Youth.

Introduction: In the United States, e-cigarettes have entered a new regulatory era, needing authorizations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remain on or enter the marketplace. This study explored the impact of e-cigarette authorization messages on product perceptions and interests.

Aims And Methods: We conducted an online experiment in June 2022 with nationally representative samples of adults (≥21) who smoke cigarettes (n = 866) and youth ages 15-20 (n = 859).

Using Eye tracking to Examine Young Adults' Visual Attention to E-cigarette Advertising Features and Associated Positive E-cigarette Perceptions.

Background: Little is known about the influence of e-cigarette marketing features on the antecedents of e-cigarette use.

Purpose: Using an eye-tracking experiment, we examined visual attention to common features in e-cigarette ads and its associations with positive e-cigarette perceptions among young adults.

Methods: Young adults (ages 18-29) who smoke cigarettes (n = 40) or do not use tobacco (n = 71) viewed 30 e-cigarette ads on a computer screen.

From "Additive-Free" to "Tobacco & Water": Assessing the Impact of Marketing Claim Changes on Natural American Spirit and L&M Cigarettes.

Introduction: The 2017 agreement between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the makers of Natural America Spirit (NAS) cigarettes restricted the use of "additive-free" (AF) in brand marketing, which the company replaced with "tobacco ingredients: tobacco & water" (TW), a phrase subsequently adopted by L&M.

Testing messaging strategies to correct beliefs about nicotine and relative harm perceptions of non-cigarette tobacco products compared to cigarettes: A 2 × 2 factorial experiment of factsheets.

Introduction: The misperception that nicotine is a major cause of cancer is common and may relate to inaccurate relative harm perceptions about tobacco products. To assess if messaging can correct these misperceptions, we tested factsheets that manipulated presences vs absence of (1) a causal alternative (i.e.

Perceptions about levels of harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes, and associations with relative e-cigarette harm perceptions, e-cigarette use and interest.

Background And Aims: Exposure to chemicals contributes to harm from nicotine products, and e-cigarette communications often refer to chemicals. However, while e-cigarette studies commonly measure perceived harmfulness of e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes, few have assessed comparative perceptions about chemicals. This study measured perceived levels of harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes compared with cigarettes and associations with e-cigarette/cigarette relative harm perceptions, e-cigarette use and interest.

Awareness and beliefs about FDA e-cigarette regulation in the premarket application review era.

Introduction: In March 2022, FDA granted its first marketing orders for e-cigarettes. Few studies have assessed awareness of FDA e-cigarette regulation and authorization in the era of premarket review. This study describes prevalence of awareness as well as beliefs about regulation among adults who smoke and youth.

Prevalence, correlates, and behavioral outcomes of alcohol gifting in China.

Introduction: Alcohol gifting is a very common practice in China. However, little is known about the potentially adverse consequences of alcohol gifting. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, and factors associated with, alcohol gifting, and explore whether drinking and tobacco use were associated with alcohol gifting.

Understanding why collective action resulted in greater advances for tobacco control as compared to alcohol control during the Philippines' Sin Tax Reform: a qualitative study.

Background And Aims: In 2012, the Philippines passed a law popularly known as the 'Sin Tax Reform'. This law increased excise tax on both tobacco and alcohol. While a victory for public health, the total amount of taxes paid by the tobacco and alcohol industries was an uneven 69-31 split.

Beliefs and Characteristics Associated With Believing Nicotine Causes Cancer: A Descriptive Analysis to Inform Corrective Message Content and Priority Audiences.

Introduction: Many cigarette smokers want to quit but have not. Switching to noncombustible products can reduce disease risk, but misperceptions that nicotine causes cancer might impact relative harm perceptions about noncombustible products and considering switching. Identifying which smokers are most likely to hold this misperception and associated beliefs can inform the content of and priority audiences for corrective messaging.

Evidence of Youth-Appealing Cigarette Advertising Tactics from a Randomized, Controlled Experiment.

Introduction: Receptivity to tobacco advertising is an important component in the progression from exposure to advertising to use behavior, yet little is known about current tobacco advertising tactics that increase receptivity. This study tests the effect of three advertising features identified in earlier work as potentially appealing to adolescents and young adults: flora imagery, eco-friendly language, and sweepstakes.

Aims And Methods: We conducted an online survey in which 1,000 US adolescents (age 15-17) and 1,000 US young adults (age 18-24), equally stratified by smoking status, were exposed to three experimental modules manipulating presence/absence of each feature of interest on cigarette ads.

Strategies to expand corporate autonomy by the tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverage industry: a scoping review of reviews.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases contribute to over 70% of global deaths each year. Efforts to address this epidemic are complicated by the presence of powerful corporate actors. Despite this, few attempts have been made to synthesize existing evidence of the strategies used to advance corporate interests across industries.

Seven-year tobacco tax plan in Ukraine: a case study of the actors, tactics and factors motivating policy passage.

Objective: In December 2017, the Ukrainian Rada passed legislation that would increase tobacco taxes for the next 7 years to meet requirements of the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement (EU-UAA). We analysed factors motivating passage of Ukraine's 7-year tobacco tax plan as well as tactics used by both opponents and proponents to describe how the plan was passed.

Design: A case study approach was used.

The battle to increase tobacco taxes: Lessons from Philippines and Ukraine.

Introduction: While increasing taxes on tobacco is one of the most effective tobacco control measures, its adoption has been slow compared to other tobacco control policies. Given this, there is an urgent need to better understand the political and economic dynamics that lead to its adoption despite immense tobacco industry opposition. The primary aim of this study is to explore the process, actors, and determinants that helped lead to the successful passage of the 2012 Sin Tax Reform Law in the Philippines and the 2017 seven-year plan for tobacco tax increases in Ukraine.

Tobacco Advertising Features That May Contribute to Product Appeal Among US Adolescents and Young Adults.

Introduction: Cigarette advertising is a causal agent of smoking uptake among young people. Although prior research links ad receptivity to tobacco product interest and use, little is known regarding the specific advertising tactics associated with increased product appeal among young people.

Methods: A national sample of 13-20 year-olds (N = 3688, youth) and 21-24 year-olds (N = 1556, young adults) in the US participated in an online survey in 2017 (mean age 18.

How Internet Contracts Impact Research: Content Analysis of Terms of Service on Consumer Product Websites.

Background: Companies use brand websites as a promotional tool to engage consumers on the web, which can increase product use. Given that some products are harmful to the health of consumers, it is important for marketing associated with these products to be subject to public health surveillance. However, terms of service (TOS) governing the use of brand website content may impede such important research.

Cigarette Packs With URLs Leading to Tobacco Company Websites: Content Analysis.

Background: Tobacco companies include on the packaging of their products URLs directing consumers to websites that contain protobacco messages. Online media tend to be underregulated and provide the industry with an opportunity to present users with protobacco communication.

Objective: The objective of our study was to document the content of websites that were advertised on tobacco packs in 14 low- and middle-income countries.

Use of imagery and text that could convey reduced harm in American Spirit advertisements.

Background: In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to three tobacco companies regarding use of the terms 'natural' and/or 'additive-free' to describe their products, as these terms inaccurately convey reduced harm. Yet, tobacco companies engage in a variety of alternate techniques to attempt to convey the same 'natural' (and thus reduced harm) message. It is critical to monitor these practices to inform regulatory action.