Perceptions of the Addictiveness of Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Versus Typical Cigarettes and Exposure to Tobacco Industry-Sponsored Corrective Campaign

Abstract

Background

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a regulatory plan to reduce the nicotine content of cigarettes. This study examines the association of exposure to industry-sponsored corrective statements on perceptions of the addictiveness of low-nicotine cigarettes relative to typical cigarettes within the general US population.

Methods

The study comprised 4975 US adult respondents of the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 3). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between exposure to tobacco industry corrective messages and perceptions of the addictiveness of low-nicotine cigarettes relative to typical cigarettes.

Results

In the overall population, 4.1% reported that low-nicotine cigarettes were much more addictive than typical cigarettes, 67.5% said they were equally addictive, while 28.4% reported they were slightly/much less addictive. Adults exposed to industry-sponsored corrective messages had higher odds of perceiving low-nicotine cigarettes as equally addictive as typical cigarettes (aOR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.13–2.19) than those who saw no corrective messages. Those exposed to the corrective messages specifically about the addictiveness of smoking and nicotine had higher odds of perceiving low-nicotine cigarettes as equally addictive as typical cigarettes (aOR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.07–2.81) compared to those who saw no corrective message.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that exposure to court-ordered tobacco industry corrective statements may have reinforced perceptions on the addictive potential of nicotine. However, study findings indicate a need for campaigns specifically tailored to address misperceptions observed in this study.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 67.5% of US adults perceived low-nicotine cigarettes and typical cigarettes as being equally addictive

• Exposure to court-ordered corrective statements increased the odds of equal addictiveness perception

• Exposure to corrective statements specifically tailored to addiction increased the odds of equal addictiveness perception

Keywords:

• Tobacco
• Cigarettes
• Addiction
• Tobacco Industry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment; Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention;