Who are the smokers who never plan to quit and what do they think about the risks of using tobacco products?

Introduction: This study aimed to understand the characteristics and perceptions of smokers who never plan to quit, a group that presents a challenge in reducing tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. The study used data from national probability samples of U.S. adults and analyzed it using multivariable logistic regressions.

Key Points:

* Smokers who never plan to quit are more likely to be older (24.2% among those aged 65+) and less likely to have ever used e-cigarettes.
* A one-unit increase in hierarchical worldview was associated with a 20% increase in the odds of never planning to quit.
* Those who denied or were uncertain that cigarettes cause disease or death were more likely to never plan to quit.
* Perceptions of risks of e-cigarettes were not substantially different between smokers who plan to quit and those who never plan to quit.

Main Message: The study highlights the need for interventions that reflect the hierarchical worldviews of smokers who never plan to quit and increase their risk perceptions of combustible cigarettes. Given that these smokers do not view e-cigarettes as substantially different in terms of risk, increased knowledge of the risks of using less harmful products could encourage them to switch completely from combusted cigarettes. Understanding the risk perceptions and worldviews of these smokers can inform public education and authorization of modified risk claims to encourage them to switch to e-cigarettes or other reduced harm products.

Popova, Lucy, Ban Majeed, Daniel Owusu, Claire Adams Spears, and David L. Ashley. “Who Are the Smokers Who Never Plan to Quit and What Do They Think about the Risks of Using Tobacco Products?” Addictive Behaviors 87 (December 2018): 62–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.06.024.