Introduction:
This article summarizes a study that examines marketing claims in direct-mail advertising for oral nicotine products in the United States. The study aims to provide insight into how these products are marketed and whether potential implicit reduced harm claims are used.
Key Points:
* The study analyzed 50 direct-mail ads for oral nicotine products sent to US consumers between March 2018 and August 2020.
* The most common claims in the ads were that the product could be used anywhere (84%), was an alternative to other tobacco products (69%), and did not contain tobacco leaf (55%).
* A smaller proportion of ads contained claims that oral nicotine was "spit-free" (52%) or "smoke-free" (31%).
* Most direct-mail ads were sent by Altria (19.8 million pieces) and RJ Reynolds (18.2 million pieces).
* The majority of ads featured nicotine pouches (31.8 million pieces), while a smaller proportion featured lozenges (6.2 million pieces).
* The study notes that these marketing claims, particularly the use of language to highlight oral nicotine as tobacco-free, may convey to consumers that these products are lower risk, despite the lack of evidence or proper federal authorization.
* The authors call for future research to examine consumer perceptions of such claims.
Main Message:
The study suggests that oral nicotine products are being marketed to consumers with claims that may convey reduced harm, even though there is limited evidence to support these claims. The use of language to highlight oral nicotine as tobacco-free may be particularly concerning, as it may lead consumers to believe that these products are lower risk than traditional tobacco products. The authors argue that further research is needed to understand consumer perceptions of these claims and to ensure that marketing practices are aligned with public health goals.
Citation
Czaplicki, L., Patel, M., Rahman, B., Yoon, S., Schillo, B., & Rose, S. W. (2022). Oral nicotine marketing claims in direct-mail advertising. Tobacco Control, 31(5), 663–666. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056446
