Trends in Tobacco Product Use Patterns Among U.S.Vouth,1999-2014

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research paper examining the impact of marketing claims about exposure and risk for potential modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs). The study aimed to understand how these claims affect perceptions of chemical quantity, health harm, and susceptibility to use MRTPs among US adults and adolescents. The study's findings have important implications for tobacco regulation and public health.

Key Points:

* The study used national samples of US adults and adolescents, recruited through random digit dialing and respondent-driven sampling.
* The researchers conducted two between-subjects factorial experiments: one with lower risk claims and the other with lower exposure claims.
* In Experiment 1, lower risk claims led to lower perceived chemical quantity, lower perceived risk of harm, and higher susceptibility to use the product among adults.
* In Experiment 2, lower exposure claims led to lower perceived chemical quantity, lower perceived risk of harm, but did not affect susceptibility to use the product among adults or adolescents.
* The study found that lower exposure claims were misleading, leading to lower perceived risk of harm even without an explicit claim of reduced risk.
* Adults' susceptibility to use MRTPs increased in response to lower risk claims, but not in response to lower exposure claims.
* The study suggests that modified exposure claims would not satisfy US regulations for MRTP marketing, while modified risk claims might be viable if the product truly reduces risk.

Main Message:
This research highlights the importance of accurate claims and public comprehension of health risks associated with MRTPs, as required by US law. The findings suggest that modified exposure claims are likely to be misleading, making it unlikely for them to be a viable pathway under the law. The study emphasizes the need for tobacco manufacturers to provide scientific evidence demonstrating the issuance of an MRTP order would be appropriate for public health protection.

EI-Toukhy, Sherine, Melanie Sabado, and Kelvin Choi. “Trends in Tobacco Product Use Patterns Among U.S.Vouth,1999-2014,” 2018