School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2022 Aug 6;24(9):1422-1429. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac071.
Several countries are considering a reduced nicotine policy that would make cigarettes minimally or nonaddictive. This qualitative study documents reactions to the policy that should be addressed by future communication efforts.
In 2020, we recruited participants in Atlanta, GA and San Francisco, CA (27 people who exclusively smoke, 25 who dual use cigarettes and e-cigarettes, 32 who formerly smoked, and 31 young adults who do not smoke). We held 16 focus groups: 2 focus groups for each smoking status in each city. Participants viewed messages about very low nicotine content cigarettes (VLNCs) and were asked about their reactions to each message and their overall response to the reduced nicotine policy.
While responses to the policy were predominantly positive, focus group discussion also revealed concerns, questions, and misunderstandings (referred to here collectively as "perceptions") that may need to be addressed if a reduced nicotine policy is enacted. Participants expressed perceptions related to the policy intent, including that the FDA has ulterior motives, adoption/ implementation, including that nicotine would have to be replaced with other chemicals if removed or that the policy would be unfeasible to implement, and effectiveness, including concern that VLNCs would still be addictive or the policy would backfire.
Addressing perceptions about reduced nicotine policy intent, adoption/implementation, and effectiveness could be key in creating public support and political motivation to move forward with such a policy. Countries contemplating adopting such a policy should consider pairing it with communications that address these perceptions.
This study is one of very few to use qualitative methods to explore potentially problematic perceptions about nicotine reduction policy among US adults. Results illuminated new policy-specific concerns, questions, and misunderstandings about the reduced nicotine policy intent, adoption/implementation, and effectiveness. Identifying, studying, and addressing relevant perceptions may play a key role in generating support in countries contemplating such a policy.
一些国家正在考虑实施降低尼古丁政策，使香烟变得微致瘾或无致瘾。本定性研究记录了对该政策的反应，未来的传播工作应解决这些反应。
2020 年，我们在佐治亚州亚特兰大和加利福尼亚州旧金山招募了参与者（27 名只吸烟的人，25 名同时使用香烟和电子烟的人，32 名以前吸烟的人，31 名不吸烟的年轻人）。我们举行了 16 个焦点小组：每个城市的每个吸烟状况都有 2 个焦点小组。参与者观看了关于极低尼古丁含量香烟（VLNCs）的信息，并被要求对每条信息发表反应以及对减少尼古丁政策的总体反应。
虽然对政策的反应主要是积极的，但焦点小组讨论也揭示了一些担忧、问题和误解（在这里统称为“看法”），如果实施减少尼古丁政策，这些看法可能需要得到解决。参与者表达了与政策意图相关的看法，包括 FDA 有不可告人的动机、采用/实施，包括如果去除尼古丁，必须用其他化学物质替代，或者政策不可行，以及有效性，包括担心 VLNCs 仍然会使人上瘾，或者政策会适得其反。
解决对减少尼古丁政策意图、采用/实施和有效性的看法可能是在制定公众支持和政治动机以推动此类政策方面的关键。考虑采取这种政策的国家应该考虑将其与解决这些看法的沟通相结合。
本研究是少数使用定性方法探索美国成年人对尼古丁减少政策的潜在问题看法的研究之一。结果揭示了对减少尼古丁政策意图、采用/实施和有效性的新的具体政策关注、问题和误解。确定、研究和解决相关看法可能在促使国家考虑此类政策方面发挥关键作用。
