Impact of modified risk tobacco product claims on beliefs of US adults and adolescents

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of trends in tobacco product use patterns (T-PUPs) among US youth from 1999 to 2014. The study aims to examine the prevalence of T-PUPs over time and age using time varying effect modeling (TVEM). The results highlight the significance of tracking trends in T-PUPs for comprehensive tobacco control, especially among youth.

Key Points:

* The study uses data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) from 1999 to 2014.
* The sample includes 38,662 tobacco users aged 17 or younger.
* Seven mutually exclusive T-PUPs are examined, including cigarette only use, non-cigarette combustible only use, noncombustible only use, non-cigarette combustible and noncombustible dual use, cigarette and noncombustible dual use, cigarette and non-cigarette combustible dual use, and POLY use.
* The study finds that non-cigarette combustible only use and noncombustible only use became more prevalent than cigarette only use among youth tobacco users after 2010 and 2013, respectively.
* Dual and POLY T-PUPs were on the rise in 2011, although not significantly different from cigarette only use.
* Cigarette only use remains the predominant T-PUP among 11-to 17-year-old tobacco users.
* The study recommends tracking trends in T-PUPs over time and age and extending prevention and cessation efforts among youth to T-PUPs beyond exclusive cigarette smoking.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of tracking trends in T-PUPs over time and age to achieve the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing tobacco use among youth. The results show a rise in non-cigarette T-PUPs, especially noncombustible products, but cigarette only use remains the most prevalent among 11-to 17-year-old tobacco users. The recent extension of FDA's regulatory jurisdiction over all tobacco products is a step toward comprehensive tobacco control, and public health practitioners should extend prevention and cessation efforts among youth to T-PUPs beyond exclusive cigarette smoking.

El-Toukhy, Sherine, Sabeeh A Baig, Michelle Jeong, M Justin Byron, Kurt M Ribisl, and Noel T Brewer. “Impact of Modified Risk Tobacco Product Claims on Beliefs of US Adults and Adolescents.” Tobacco Control 27, no. Suppl 1 (November 2018): s62–69. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054315.