Adolescents' interest in trying flavoured e-cigarettes

More U.S. adolescents use e-cigarettes than smoke cigarettes. Research suggests flavored e-cigarettes appeal to youth, but little is known about perceptions of and reasons for attraction to specific flavors

What is the impact of e-cigarette adverts on children's perceptions of tobacco smoking? An experimental study

Exposure to e-cigarette adverts increases children's positive attitudes towards using them. Given the similarity in appearance between e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes, we examined whether exposure to e-cigarette adverts has a cross-product impact on perceptions and attitudes towards smoking tobacco cigarettes

Economic and Political Influence on Tobacco Tax Rates: A Nationwide Analysis of 31 Years of State Data

Objectives. We evaluated state-level characteristics associated with cigarette excise taxes before and after the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). Methods. We gathered annual cigarette excise tax rates for all US states and the District of Columbia, between 1981 and 2011, and matched each state–year tax rate with economic, political, attitudinal, and demographic characteristics, creating a data set of 1581 observations. We used panel data regression techniques to assess relationships between key characteristics and state cigarette excise tax levels. Results. Cigarette excise tax rates grew at more than 6 times the rate of inflation between 1981 and 2011; growth varied by time period and region. We found strong negative associations between Republican Party control of state legislatures and governors’ offices and state cigarette tax rates. Tobacco production, citizens’ attitudes toward taxes and tobacco control, and cigarette tax rates in neighboring states were significantly associated with cigarette tax rates. We found no association between unemployment and tax rates. Conclusions. Future excise tax growth rate may depend more on the political leanings of state legislators, and the attitudes of the people they represent, than on economic circumstances

Effectiveness of State and Federal Government Agreements with Major Credit Card and Shipping Companies to Block Illegal Internet Cigarette Sales

Most Internet vendors offer tax-free cigarettes making them cheaper than those sold at stores. This undermines the impact that higher prices have upon reducing consumption. Most Internet tobacco sales have violated taxation and youth access laws, which led to landmark voluntary agreements in 2005 with the major credit card companies and major private shippers to ban payment transactions and shipments for all Internet cigarette sales

Reducing Tobacco Use and Access Through Strengthened Minimum Price Laws

Higher prices reduce consumption and initiation of tobacco products. A minimum price law that establishes a high statutory minimum price and prohibits the industry’s discounting tactics for tobacco products is a promising pricing strategy as an alternative to excise tax increases. Although some states have adopted minimum price laws on the basis of statutorily defined price “markups” over the invoice price, existing state laws have been largely ineffective at increasing the retail price. We analyzed 3 new variations of minimum price laws that hold great potential for raising tobacco prices and reducing consumption: (1) a flat rate minimum price law similar to a recent enactment in New York City, (2) an enhanced markup law, and (3) a law that incorporates both elements

Web sites selling cigarettes: how many are there in the USA and what are their sales practices?

OBJECTIVES—To estimate the number and geographic location of web sites selling cigarettes in the USA, and to examine their sales and marketing practices.METHODS—Comprehensive searches were conducted using four keyword terms and five popular internet search engines, supplemented by sites identified in a news article. Over 1800 sites were examined to identify 88 internet cigarette vendors.MEASURES—Trained raters examined the content of each site using a standardised coding instrument to assess geographic location, presence of warnings, products sold, and promotional strategies.SETTING—USA.RESULTS—Internet cigarette vendors were located in 23 states. Nearly half (n = 43) were located in New York state, and many were in tobacco producing states with low cigarette excise taxes. Indian reservations housed 49 of the 88 sites. Only 28.4% of sites featured the US Surgeon General's health warnings and 81.8% featured minimum age of sale warnings. Nearly all sites (96.6%) sold premium or value brand cigarettes, 21.6% sold duty-free Marlboros, and 8.0% sold bidis. Approximately one third featured special promotional programmes.CONCLUSIONS—Internet cigarette vendors present new regulatory and enforcement challenges for tobacco control advocates because of the difficulty in regulating internet content and because many vendors are on Indian reservations.Keywords: youth access; internet; web sites; polic

Reducing the Density and Number of Tobacco Retailers: Policy Solutions and Legal Issues

Because higher density of tobacco retailers is associated with greater tobacco use, U.S. communities seek ways to reduce the density and number of tobacco retailers. This approach can reduce the concentration of tobacco retailers in poorer communities, limit youth exposure to tobacco advertising, and prevent misleading associations between tobacco and health messaging

Racial and Ethnic Differences in What Smokers Report Paying for Their Cigarettes

Smoking rates and tobacco-related health problems vary by race and ethnicity. We explore whether cigarette prices, a determinant of tobacco use, differ across racial and ethnic groups, and whether consumer behaviors influence these differences

How hearing about harmful chemicals affects smokers' interest in dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes

Substantial harm could result from concurrent cigarette and e-cigarette use (i.e., dual use) were it to undermine smoking cessation. Perceptions of chemical exposure and resulting harms may influence dual use. We conducted a probability-based phone survey of 1164 U.S. adult cigarette smokers in 2014–2015 and analyzed results in 2016. In a between-subjects experiment, smokers heard a hypothetical scenario in which cigarettes and e-cigarettes had the same amount of harmful chemicals or cigarettes had more chemicals than e-cigarettes (10× more, 100× more, or chemicals were present only in cigarettes). Smokers indicated how the scenario would change their interest in dual use and perceived health harms. Few smokers (7%) who heard that the products have the same amount of chemicals were interested in initiating or increasing dual use. However, more smokers were interested when told that cigarettes have 10× more chemicals than e-cigarettes (31%), 100× more chemicals than e-cigarettes (32%), or chemicals were present only in cigarettes (43%) (all p < .001). Individuals told that cigarettes have more chemicals were more likely than those in the “same amount” scenario to perceive that cigarettes would be more harmful than e-cigarettes (79% vs. 41%, OR = 5.41, 95% CI = 4.08–7.17). These harm perceptions partially explained the relationship between chemical scenario and dual use interest. Smokers associated higher chemical amounts in cigarettes versus e-cigarettes with greater health harms from cigarettes and thus expressed increased interest in dual use. The findings suggest that disclosing amounts of chemicals in cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosol could unintentionally encourage dual use

Psychological Health and Smoking in Young Adulthood

Introduction: Young adulthood is a critical time for the emergence of risk behaviors including smoking. Psychological health is associated with smoking, but studies rarely track both over time. We used longitudinal data to assess whether average patterns of psychological health influenced average patterns of smoking and whether short-term fluctuations in psychological health influenced fluctuations in smoking. Method: Young adults aged 18–30 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics were followed from 2007 to 2013, and mean trajectories of smoking were modeled. Psychological health variables included ever having a mental health diagnosis and time-varying distress. Results: In regression models, individuals with poorer psychological health (higher distress or a diagnosis) were more likely to be smokers and to smoke greater number of cigarettes. The association of diagnosis with number of cigarettes smoked increased with age. Conclusions: Smoking-related interventions should target individuals with poorer psychological health, even if they have no formal mental health diagnosis