Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Knowledge and Beliefs About Constituents in Novel Tobacco Products

Introduction:
This text is a scientific article that explores the knowledge and beliefs of adolescents and young adults about harmful constituents in novel tobacco products and their smoke or aerosol. The study aims to inform risk communication messages by understanding participant's knowledge and beliefs about constituents found in novel tobacco products and their smoke or aerosol. The article discusses the findings from ten focus groups conducted in and around Chapel Hill, North Carolina from February to April 2014.

Key Points:

* The study included 77 individuals, aged 13-25, who were recruited using purposive sampling methods. Participants were stratified by age (adolescents or young adults) and novel tobacco product use status (users or susceptible nonusers).
* Participants were asked about 10 constituents from FDA’s reduced list of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents, including acetaldehyde, acrolein, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nicotine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanon (NNK), and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN).
* Participants were generally familiar with arsenic, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and nicotine, but unfamiliar with acetaldehyde, acrolein, NNK, and NNN.
* All participants had negative beliefs about most constituents, although users had positive beliefs about nicotine.
* Participants associated familiar constituents with common products or uses, such as arsenic with rat poison and carbon monoxide with car exhaust.
* Participants had varying sources of knowledge about the constituents, including high school chemistry and popular media.
* Participants wanted more information about the constituents’ health effects, toxicity, and other products they are found in.
* Most participants were unaware the constituents discussed are in novel tobacco products and their smoke or aerosol.

Main Message:
The main message of this study is that risk communication messages could capitalize on negative associations with familiar constituents or attempt to educate about unfamiliar constituents to discourage novel tobacco product use among adolescents and young adults. The study has implications for how the FDA and other agencies can communicate about the risks of novel tobacco products to the general public. The findings suggest it may be effective to provide novel information to the public, capitalize on the public’s negative beliefs about and associations with familiar constituents, and educate about unfamiliar constituents and their health effects.

Wiseman, Kimberly D., Jennifer Cornacchione, Kimberly G. Wagoner, Seth M. Noar, Kathryn E. Moracco, Randall Teal, Mark Wolfson, and Erin L. Sutfin. “Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Knowledge and Beliefs About Constituents in Novel Tobacco Products.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 18, no. 7 (July 2016): 1581–87. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntw009.