Effects of Narratives on Demand for Low and High Ventilated Cigarettes and Substitution for Alternative Products

This study will investigate the effects of narratives on demand for low and high ventilated cigarettes and substitution for alternative products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cigarette Smoking
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: High-ventilated cigarette alone; Behavioral: Low-ventilated cigarette alone; Behavioral: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; Behavioral: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; Behavioral: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price.

Detailed Description

An important aim of tobacco control is to reduce demand for the most harmful products. One product feature that could be changed to benefit public health is cigarette filter ventilation. A recent review examined the effects of cigarette filter ventilation and concluded that filter ventilation, by changing how a cigarette burns, yields more mutagens and carcinogens, and results in greater puff volume and possibly depth of inhalation, which has led to increases in peripheral lung adenocarcinomas. This study will use a novel method, the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), to compare the impact of a narrative and a factsheet on the negative consequences of filter ventilation on tobacco product purchases. High-ventilated cigarette smokers will complete multiple scenarios in the ETM.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 89
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Virginia
    • Roanoke, Virginia, United States, 24016
      • Addiction recovery Research center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Provide informed consent
• Be at least 21 years of age or older
• Provide a breath sample for measuring carbon monoxide (CO ≥ 8 ppm)
• Stable tobacco use patterns for at least three months
• Be willing to sample the study cigarettes (high- and low-ventilated cigarettes)
• Report smoking a high-ventilated cigarette (>= 20% ventilation)
• Report smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have plans to move out of the area
• Have a serious or unstable physical or mental health condition
• Taking a tobacco cessation medication or medication that interferes with nicotine metabolism, motivation or reinforcement
• Report concrete, immediate plans to alter/quit using their usual nicotine products at the beginning of the study

Note: Participants may be withdrawn from the study after providing consent if they submit an invalid breath sample (CO ≥ 8 ppm).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Narratives; High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.	Behavioral: High-ventilated cigarette alone; High-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low-ventilated cigarette alone; Low-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; High- and low ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; Low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with low-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price.; Usual cigarette, low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with usual cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.
Experimental: Fact sheet; High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.	Behavioral: High-ventilated cigarette alone; High-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low-ventilated cigarette alone; Low-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; High- and low ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; Low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with low-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price.; Usual cigarette, low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with usual cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.
Experimental: Control; High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.	Behavioral: High-ventilated cigarette alone; High-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low-ventilated cigarette alone; Low-ventilated cigarettes are the only available cigarettes in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace which increases in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; High- and low ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price; Low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with low-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.; Behavioral: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price.; Usual cigarette, low- and high-ventilated cigarettes are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace with usual cigarettes increasing in price across trials. Other nicotine/tobacco products are available in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace at market price. Note that all participants will complete all the specified conditions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Intercept	Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). To obtain estimates of substitution of price-constant products in the different ETM conditions, the investigators used ordinary least squares regression to predict total mg of nicotine purchased of the price constant product. Y-intercept of price-constant products is reported.	1 day
Cigarette Demand Intensity q0	Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). Demand was estimated using the exponential equation: Q = Q0 * 10^k(exp(-αQ0C) - 1), where Q is nicotine purchased (mg), C is price, Q0 is demand intensity (purchases at no cost), k is the function's logarithmic span, and α is demand elasticity. Intensity q0 is reported, which represents the estimated mg of nicotine purchased when cigarettes are free (price = 0).	1 day
Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Slope	Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). To obtain estimates of substitution of price-constant products in the different ETM conditions, the investigators used ordinary least squares regression to predict total mg of nicotine purchased of the price-constant product. Slope of price-constant products is reported, which represents the change in mg of nicotine purchased of price-constant products divided by the change in cigarette price.	1 day
Cigarette Demand Elasticity Alpha	Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). Demand was estimated using the exponential equation: Q = Q0 * 10^k(exp(-αQ0C) - 1), where Q is nicotine purchased (mg), C is price, Q0 is demand intensity (purchases at no cost), k is the function's logarithmic span, and α is demand elasticity. Elasticity alpha is reported, which represents the sensitivity of purchasing to changes in cigarette price.	1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI); University of Minnesota
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Warren K Bickel, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 8, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 19, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): March 26, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 31, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): August 4, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 2, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 12, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB #22-432; 5P01CA217806 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The study team will share de-identified data upon request.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No