Effects of exposure to anti-vaping public service announcements among current smokers and dual users of cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems

Introduction: This study examines the effects of anti-vaping public service announcements (PSAs) on vaping and smoking-related outcomes among smokers only and dual users. The study also explores whether the effects of viewing PSAs that include portrayals of vapor differ from viewing PSAs that omit vapor.

Key points:

* The study involved a single brief exposure to the PSAs, with a combined duration of 2 minutes.
* Participants were asked to abstain from smoking prior to the experiment, but the majority reported low nicotine dependence.
* Exposure to anti-vaping PSAs (vs. control PSAs) was associated with lower vaping and smoking-related outcomes among smokers only, but not among dual users.
* Including vapor cues in anti-vaping PSAs did not result in unintended cross-over effects on smoking-related outcomes compared with anti-vaping PSAs with no vapor cues.
* Including vapor cues within anti-vaping PSAs may be beneficial for discouraging vaping among smokers.
* The study was conducted at two sites and involved a limited sample size, so additional research with a larger and more diverse sample is recommended.

Main message: The study suggests that anti-vaping PSAs may be more effective in reducing vaping and smoking-related outcomes among young adult smokers only. Including vapor cues in anti-vaping PSAs may be beneficial for discouraging vaping among smokers, but further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore the effects of vapor cues in PSAs on tobacco-use outcomes across different subgroups of tobacco users.

Tan, Andy S L, Kyeungyeun Yiec, and Ashley Sanders-Jacksonc. “Effects of Exposure to Anti-Vaping Public Service Announcements among Current Smokers and Dual Users of Cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2018.