U.S. adult perceptions of the harmfulness of tobacco products: descriptive T findings from the 2013–14 baseline wave 1 of the path study

Introduction: This study is the first nationally representative survey of U.S. adults (18+) to examine perceptions of the relative harms of eight non-cigarette tobacco products. Methods: Data are from Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Adult Questionnaire, a nationally representative study of 32,320 adults in the United States conducted from September 2013 to December 2014. Results: 40.7% of adults believed that electronic cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes, and 17.8% of adults believed that hookah was less harmful than cigarettes. Those less knowledgeable about the health risks of smoking were more likely to believe that the non-cigarette products were less harmful than cigarettes. Current non-cigarette tobacco product users were more likely to perceive that product to be less harmful than cigarettes (except filtered cigars). There was a significant positive correlation between beliefs that cigarettes were harmful and the likelihood of using hookah; perceptions of the harmfulness of cigarettes was not associated with the likelihood of using any other product. Conclusions: Perceptions of harmfulness varied widely across non-cigarette tobacco products. E-cigarettes and hookah in particular are seen as less harmful compared to cigarettes

Beliefs about the relative harm of “light” and “low tar” cigarettes: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey

BACKGROUND: Many smokers in Western countries perceive "light" or "low tar" cigarettes as less harmful and less addictive than "regular" or "full flavoured" cigarettes. However, there is little research on whether similar perceptions exist among smokers in low and middle incomes, including China. OBJECTIVE: To characterise beliefs about "light" and "low tar" cigarettes among adult urban smokers in China. METHODS: We analysed data from Wave 1 of the ITC China Survey, a face-to-face household survey of 4732 adult Chinese smokers randomly selected from six cities in China in 2006. Households were sampled using a stratified multistage design. FINDINGS: Half (50.0%) of smokers in our sample reported having ever tried a cigarette described as "light," "mild" or "low tar". The majority of smokers in our sample (71%) believed that "light" and/or "low tar" cigarettes are less harmful compared to "full flavoured" cigarettes. By far the strongest predictor of the belief that "light" and/or "low tar" cigarettes are less harmful was the belief that "light" and/or "low tar" cigarettes feel smoother on the respiratory system (p<0.001, OR=53.87, 95% CI 41.28 to 70.31). CONCLUSION: Misperceptions about "light" and/or "low tar" cigarettes were strongly related to the belief that these cigarettes are smoother on the respiratory system. Future tobacco control policies should go beyond eliminating labelling and marketing that promotes "light" and "low tar" cigarettes by regulation of product characteristics (for example, additives, filter vents) that reinforce perceptions that "light" and "low tar" cigarettes are smoother on the respiratory system and therefore less harmful

Dependence, plans to quit, quitting self-efficacy and past cessation behaviours among menthol and other flavoured cigarette users in Europe: The EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys

INTRODUCTION: This study characterises smoking and cessationrelated behaviours among menthol and other flavoured cigarette users in Europe prior to the implementation of the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) ban on the sale of flavoured cigarettes. METHODS: An analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2016 EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys was conducted among a sample of 10760 adult smokers from eight European Union Member States. Respondents were classified as menthol, other flavoured, unflavoured, or no usual flavour cigarette users and compared on smoking and cessation behaviours and characteristics. Data were analysed in SPSS Complex Samples Package using bivariate and multivariate regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, dependence, and country. RESULTS: In bivariate analyses, cigarette flavour was significantly associated with all outcomes (p<0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, these associations attenuated but remained significant and in the same direction for dependence, self-efficacy, plans to quit, past quit attempts, and ever e-cigarette use. In fully adjusted models, compared to smokers of non-flavoured cigarettes, menthol smokers were less likely to smoke daily (AOR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.32–0.71), smoke within 30 min of waking (0.52,0.43–0.64), consider themselves addicted (0.74,0.59–0.94), and more likely to have ever used e-cigarettes (1.26,1.00–1.57); other flavoured cigarette smokers were less likely to smoke daily (0.33,0.15–0.77), and have higher self-efficacy (1.82,1.20–2.77); no usual flavour smokers were less likely to smoke daily (0.34,0.22–0.51), smoke within 30 min of waking (0.66,0.55–0.80), consider themselves addicted (0.65,0.52–0.78), have ever made a quit attempt (0.69,0.58– 0.84), have ever used e-cigarettes (0.66,0.54–0.82), and had higher self-efficacy (1.46,1.19–1.80). CONCLUSIONS: Smokers of different cigarette flavours in Europe differ on smoking and cessation characteristics. The lower dependence of menthol cigarette smokers could lead to greater success rates if quit attempts are made, however cross-country differences in smoking behaviours and quitting intentions could lead to the TPD ban on cigarette flavours having differential impact if not accompanied by additional measures, such as smoking cessation support

Methods of the ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey, wave 1 (2016)

AIM: To describe the methods of the 2016 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Smoking and Vaping (4CV) Survey, conducted in 2016 in Australia (AU), Canada (CA), England (EN) and the United States (US). METHODS: The respondents were cigarette smokers, former smokers (quit within the previous 2 years), and at-least-weekly vapers, aged 18 years and older. Eligible cohort members from the ITC Four Country Survey (4C) were retained. New respondents were sampled by commercial firms from their panels. Where possible, ages 18-24 and vapers were oversampled. Data were collected online, and respondents were remunerated. Survey weights were calibrated to benchmarks from nationally representative surveys. RESULTS: Response rates by country for new recruits once invited ranged from 15.2 to 49.6%. Sample sizes for smokers/former smokers were 1504 in AU, 3006 in CA, 3773 in EN and 2239 in the US. Sample sizes for additional vapers were 727 in CA, 551 in EN and 494 in the US. CONCLUSION: The International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey design and data collection methods allow analyses to examine prospectively the use of cigarettes and nicotine vaping products in jurisdictions with different regulatory policies. The effects on the sampling designs and response quality of recruiting the respondents from commercial panels are mitigated by the use of demographic and geographic quotas in sampling; by quality control measures; and by the construction of survey weights taking into account smoking/vaping status, sex, age, education and geography

E-cigarette marketing in the UK: evidence from adult and youth surveys and policy compliance studies

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine, to allow users to inhale the vapour. The evidence so far suggests they are far less harmful than smoking and can help people to quit smoking. However, as e-cigarettes are a relatively new product and their long-term effects are unknown, they should not be used by people who have never smoked, particularly young people. In 2016 and 2017, regulations were introduced to help ensure that e-cigarette advertising is socially responsible. This means protecting young people, minimising conflation between e-cigarettes and tobacco, and preventing uptake of e-cigarettes amongst people who don’t smoke or use nicotine. The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) set rules on how e-cigarettes can be advertised and prohibited marketing in specific media channels. Subsequently, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Code, updated in 2017, set out further advertising regulations in CAP Code Rule 22 and BCAP Code Rule 33. The overall aim of this report was to assess compliance with and the impact of the current UK e-cigarette marketing regulations. The UK Government is obliged to review and deliver a report on the TRPR within five years of the legislation being enacted, by May 2021. This report will help to inform the Government’s review. This report brings together two complementary studies to provide a description of e-cigarette advertising spend, advertising content, compliance with advertising regulations, and reported noticing and appeal of e-cigarette marketing. Study A (by the Institute for Social Marketing & Health) consisted of an analysis of e-cigarette advertising expenditure in the UK in 2019 and a detailed content analysis of a sample of advertising taken from the same year. Study B consisted of an analysis of survey data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project), which measured reported noticing of e-cigarette marketing by young people (16 to 19-year-olds) between 2017 and 2019, and adults (aged 18 and older) between 2016 and 2018 in a broad range of marketing channels.Additional co-authors: James F Thrasher, Yoo Jin Cho, Catherine Cowell, Tim Coker, Sarah Bullock, Alizee Froguel, Jyotsna Vohr

E-cigarette marketing in the UK: evidence from adult and youth surveys and policy compliance studies

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine, to allow users to inhale the vapour. The evidence so far suggests they are far less harmful than smoking and can help people to quit smoking. However, as e-cigarettes are a relatively new product and their long-term effects are unknown, they should not be used by people who have never smoked, particularly young people. In 2016 and 2017, regulations were introduced to help ensure that e-cigarette advertising is socially responsible. This means protecting young people, minimising conflation between e-cigarettes and tobacco, and preventing uptake of e-cigarettes amongst people who don’t smoke or use nicotine. The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) set rules on how e-cigarettes can be advertised and prohibited marketing in specific media channels. Subsequently, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Code, updated in 2017, set out further advertising regulations in CAP Code Rule 22 and BCAP Code Rule 33. The overall aim of this report was to assess compliance with and the impact of the current UK e-cigarette marketing regulations. The UK Government is obliged to review and deliver a report on the TRPR within five years of the legislation being enacted, by May 2021. This report will help to inform the Government’s review. This report brings together two complementary studies to provide a description of e-cigarette advertising spend, advertising content, compliance with advertising regulations, and reported noticing and appeal of e-cigarette marketing. Study A (by the Institute for Social Marketing & Health) consisted of an analysis of e-cigarette advertising expenditure in the UK in 2019 and a detailed content analysis of a sample of advertising taken from the same year. Study B consisted of an analysis of survey data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project), which measured reported noticing of e-cigarette marketing by young people (16 to 19-year-olds) between 2017 and 2019, and adults (aged 18 and older) between 2016 and 2018 in a broad range of marketing channels

Classical and quantum aspects of Yang-Baxter Wess-Zumino models

We investigate the integrable Yang-Baxter deformation of the 2d Principal Chiral Model with a Wess-Zumino term. For arbitrary groups, the one-loop $\beta$-functions are calculated and display a surprising connection between classical and quantum physics: the classical integrability condition is necessary to prevent new couplings being generated by renormalisation. We show these theories admit an elegant realisation of Poisson-Lie T-duality acting as a simple inversion of coupling constants. The self-dual point corresponds to the Wess-Zumino-Witten model and is the IR fixed point under RG. We address the possibility of having supersymmetric extensions of these models showing that extended supersymmetry is not possible in general