Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Tob Control. 2023 Jan;32(1):42-50. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056479. Epub 2021 May 31.
Modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) claims for heated tobacco products (HTPs) that convey reduced exposure compared with conventional cigarettes may promote product initiation and transition among young people. We assessed the effects of a hypothetical MRTP claim for HTPs on young adults' intention and perceptions of using HTPs and whether these effects differed by their current cigarette and e-cigarette use.
We embedded a randomised between-subjects experiment into a web-based survey administered among a cohort of 2354 Southern California young adults (aged 20-23) in 2020. Participants viewed depictions of HTPs with an MRTP claim (n=1190) or no claim (n=1164). HTP use intention and HTP-related harm and use perceptions relative to cigarettes and e-cigarettes were assessed.
Overall, participants who viewed versus did not view the claim did not differ in HTP use intention (28.5% vs 28.7%) but were more likely to perceive HTPs as less harmful than cigarettes (11.4% vs 7.0%; p<0.001). The experimental effect on HTP use intention did not differ among past 30-day cigarette smokers versus non-smokers (interaction adjusted OR (AOR)=0.78, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.76) but differed among past 30-day e-cigarette users versus non-users (interaction AOR=1.67, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.68).
The hypothetical MRTP claim may lower young adults' HTP harm perceptions compared with cigarettes but may not change HTP use intention overall or differentially for cigarette smokers. The larger effect on HTP use intention among e-cigarette users than non-users raises the question of whether MRTP claims may promote HTP use or HTP and e-cigarette dual use among young e-cigarette users.
与传统香烟相比，加热烟草产品（HTP）的改良风险烟草产品（MRTP）声称可减少暴露，这可能会促进年轻人开始使用和过渡到使用这些产品。我们评估了 HTP 的假设 MRTP 声明对年轻成年人使用 HTP 的意图和看法的影响，以及这些影响是否因他们目前使用香烟和电子烟的情况而异。
我们在 2020 年对南加州的 2354 名年轻成年人（年龄在 20-23 岁之间）进行了一项基于网络的调查，并在其中嵌入了一项随机的、基于个体的实验。参与者观看了带有 MRTP 声明（n=1190）或没有声明（n=1164）的 HTP 描述。评估了 HTP 使用意图以及相对于香烟和电子烟的 HTP 相关危害和使用看法。
总体而言，与未观看声明的参与者相比，观看声明的参与者在 HTP 使用意图方面没有差异（28.5%对 28.7%），但更有可能认为 HTP 比香烟的危害小（11.4%对 7.0%；p<0.001）。实验对 HTP 使用意图的影响在过去 30 天的吸烟者与非吸烟者之间没有差异（调整后的交互作用优势比（AOR）=0.78，95%CI 0.36 至 1.76），但在过去 30 天的电子烟使用者与非使用者之间有差异（交互作用 AOR=1.67，95%CI 1.02 至 2.68）。
假设的 MRTP 声明可能会降低年轻人对 HTP 危害的看法，与香烟相比，但总体而言，不会改变 HTP 使用意图，也不会根据吸烟者的情况而有所不同。在电子烟使用者中比非使用者中对 HTP 使用意图的更大影响提出了这样一个问题，即 MRTP 声明是否可能促进 HTP 使用或 HTP 和电子烟的双重使用在年轻的电子烟使用者中。
