Dissuasive cigarettes: which cues are the most effective at deterring young people from smoking?

Objectives In order to counter the attractiveness of cigarettes, Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provides for the possibility of including warnings on cigarettes. The objective of our research was to explore perceptions of cigarettes designed to be dissuasive (either displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’ in uppercase or lowercase, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green, or a combination of all these negative cues). Study design In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 people in France aged 15-25 (10 daily smokers, 10 occasional smokers, 11 non-smokers; 15 females, 16 males). Methods Participants were shown different dissuasive cigarettes (displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green, or a combination of all three), and current branded ones. Open-ended questions were asked about the attractiveness of the cigarettes, perception of risk, the image of the smoker, and influence on the desire to quit or not to start. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Results The different dissuasive cues were found to increase negative health perceptions (e.g., increase risk), reduce positive smoker image and the perceived pleasure of smoking (e.g., embarrassment of smoking in front of friends), decrease the desire to start smoking and increase the desire to quit. The most dissuasive cigarette was an unattractively dark-coloured cigarette which displayed both the warning ‘smoking kills’ and a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of the appearance of cigarettes and suggests that dissuasive cigarettes may be an innovative tobacco control measure for governments

The forgotten smoker: a qualitative study of attitudes towards smoking, quitting, and tobacco control policies among continuing smokers

Although research suggests that the majority of smokers want to quit smoking, the uptake of Stop Smoking Services, designed to assist smokers with quitting, remains low. Little is known about continuing smokers who do not access these services, and opportunities to influence their motivation and encourage quit attempts through the uptake of services. Using PRIME theory, this study explored differences between continuing smokers who had varying levels of motivation to quit, in terms of their plans to quit, evaluative beliefs about smoking, cigarette dependence, and attitudes towards tobacco control policies and services

Just how plain are plain tobacco packs : Re-analysis of a systematic review using multilevel meta-analysis suggests lessons about the comparative benefits of synthesis methods

BACKGROUND: Comparisons between narrative synthesis and meta-analysis as synthesis methods in systematic reviews are uncommon within the same systematic review. We re-analysed a systematic review on the effects of plain packaging of tobacco on attractiveness. We sought to compare different synthesis approaches within the same systematic review and shed light on the comparative benefits of each approach. METHODS: In our re-analysis, we included results relating to attractiveness in included reports. We extracted findings from studies and converted all estimates of differences in attractiveness to Cohen's d. We used multilevel meta-analysis to account for clustering of effect sizes within studies. RESULTS: Of the 19 studies reporting results on attractiveness, seven studies that included between-subjects analyses could be included in the meta-analysis. Plain packs were less attractive than branded packs (d = - 0.59, 95% CI [- 0.71, - 0.47]), with negligible but uncertain between-studies heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, 95% CI [0.00, 70.81]) and high within-study heterogeneity (I2 = 92.6%, 95% CI [91.04, 93.90]). CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis found, similar to the narrative synthesis, that respondents typically rated plain packaging as less attractive than alternative (e.g. branded) tobacco packs. However, there were several trade-offs between analysis methods in the types and bodies of evidence each one contained and in the difference between partial precision and breadth of conclusions. Analysis methods were different in respect of the role of judgement and contextual variation and in terms of estimation and unexpected effect modification. In addition, we noted that analysis methods were different in how they accounted for heterogeneity and consistency

L'utilisation de la peur dans un contexte de marketing social: etat de l'art, limites et voies de recherche

International audienceCet article propose de faire le point sur le thème de l'utilisation de la peur dans les campagnes de marketing social. Dans un premier temps, les conclusions des méta-analyses, les principaux modèles théoriques qui en découlent et leurs limites seront détaillés. Dans un deuxième temps, la présentation d'études récentes ouvrira sur les nombreuses pistes de recherche qui restent à approfondir et à explorer

La normalisation des associations : quelle efficacité pour rassurer les donateurs ?

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La normalisation des associations : quelle efficacité pour rassurer les donateurs ?

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La normalisation des associations – l’exemple du label du comite de la charte

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Alcohol industry's arguments against French pregnancy warning labels: a press coverage analysis

International audienceBackgroundAlcohol drinking during pregnancy has harmful consequences. Warnings displayed on alcohol bottles are an effective measure to inform people about these risks and have been put in place in France. However, the alcohol industry (AI) resisted this measure when it was introduced in 2007 and during an expansion project in 2018. This study aims to identify arguments used by the AI against warnings targeting pregnant women.MethodsA documentary method was used to analyse these arguments disseminated by the AI and its partners (elected representatives of wine-producing regions, etc.) in the French mainstream press (the national, regional and specialised press) from 2000 to 2020 through the Europresse documentary database. A quantitative analysis (number and evolution of press articles, mapping of the actors of AI who expressed themselves) and an inductive thematic content analysis (analytical framework of the arguments identified) using NVivo Software were carried out.ResultsAmong the 85 articles included in this study, a majority of the arguments used by the AI are against this measure. It argues that this measure (1) is a questionable measure because ineffective in changing behaviours, (2) will have counterproductive effects (on women and on the economy); and (3) there are other preferred alternatives than warnings (targeted prevention programs, etc.). A minority is nevertheless in favour of this measure. Among the actors who expressed themselves, a large majority comes from the winegrowing sector.ConclusionsThe analysis of these arguments will add new insights about AI lobbying against warnings, by analyzing the arguments over a 20 years period covering a failure and a success of industry lobbying. It will also be useful for public health advocacy to better counter this lobbying influence and these arguments, which are not necessarily evidence based

Dissuasive cigarettes: which cues are the most effective at deterring young people from smoking?

International audienceObjectivesTo counter the attractiveness of cigarettes, Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provides for the possibility of including warnings on cigarettes. The objective of our research was to explore perceptions of cigarettes designed to be dissuasive (displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’ in uppercase or lowercase, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green or a combination of all these negative cues).Study designIn-depth interviews were conducted with 31 people in France aged 15–25 years (10 daily smokers, 10 occasional smokers and 11 non-smokers; 15 females and 16 males).MethodsParticipants were shown different dissuasive cigarettes (displaying the warning ‘Smoking kills’, a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram, unattractive shades of brown or dark green or a combination of all three) and current branded ones. Open-ended questions were asked about the attractiveness of the cigarettes, perception of risk, the image of the smoker and influence on the desire to quit or not to start. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed.ResultsThe different dissuasive cues were found to increase negative health perceptions (e.g., increase risk), reduce positive smoker image and the perceived pleasure of smoking (e.g., embarrassment of smoking in front of friends), decrease the desire to start smoking and increase the desire to quit. The most dissuasive cigarette was an unattractively dark-coloured cigarette which displayed both the warning ‘Smoking kills’ and a ‘skull and crossbones’ pictogram.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of the appearance of cigarettes and suggests that dissuasive cigarettes may be an innovative tobacco control measure for governments