Impact of Little Cigars and Cigarillos Packaging Features on Product Preference.
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ABSTRACT: Background
We conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) among young adult cigarette smokers in the period July-August 2018 to examine their preference for cigarillos in response to various packaging-related attributes, including flavor, flavor description, quality descriptors, pack size, and prices.Methods
A convenience sample of 566 US young adult cigarette smokers aged 18-34, among whom 296 were current little cigar and cigarillo (LCC) smokers, were recruited using Facebook ads and invited to participate in an online (Qualtrics) tobacco survey containing DCE and tobacco use questions. In the experiment, participants chose among two cigarillo products or "neither" (opt-out).Results
We analyzed preferences for LCCs using multinomial, nested, random parameter logit models. Results showed that young adult cigarette smokers preferred grape over menthol, tobacco/regular, and wine flavors; "color only" and "color and text" flavor depictions over text only; "smooth" and "sweet" quality descriptors over "satisfying"; and larger pack sizes and lower prices.Conclusions
Regulating packaging-related features will impact LCC choices among US young adult smokers. FDA regulation over these packaging-related features may impact LCC use among young adult smokers.
SUBMITTER: Shang C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8583443 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:IntroductionIn 2016, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would regulate little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) and expressed concern about the concomitant use of combustible tobacco products. To understand LCC use among socially-disadvantaged cigarette smokers, we assessed (1) the prevalence of concomitant use of subtypes of LCCs: LCC-tobacco, LCC-blunt, and LCC- poly use, which includes use of both LCC-tobacco and LCC-blunt and (2) and its association with sociodemographic factors and substance use behaviors using race/ethnicity and gender stratified models.MethodsIn 2015, a web-based survey was administered to a national probability sample of black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and white cigarette smokers aged 18-44 (n = 1018). Weighted estimates were used to assess current LCC-tobacco, LCC-blunt, and LCC-poly use. Multinomial regression models assessed sociodemographic, other tobacco and substance use correlates associated with LCC user subtypes.ResultsOf cigarette smokers, 63% did not smoke LCCs; 15.1% were LCC-tobacco users; 11.1% were LCC-blunt users; and 10.5% were LCC-poly users. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino cigarette smokers had higher odds of LCC-tobacco, LCC-blunt, and LCC-poly use compared to white cigarette smokers. Blacks/African Americans who initiated cigarette smoking before age 18 and smoked other tobacco products had greater odds of LCC-tobacco use than whites. Male cigarette smokers who smoked other tobacco products and females who had early onset of cigarette use also had greater odds of LCC-tobacco use.ConclusionsOver 30% of cigarette smokers concomitantly used LCCs, which may prolong smoking. Accurate estimates of diverse LCC use behaviors may increase our understanding of the potential harms of concomitant use.ImplicationsAggregate measures of LCC smoking do not distinguish subtypes of use among socially-disadvantaged cigarette smokers (ie, young adults, blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos), who may engage in these unique smoking behaviors. We document the prevalence of young adult cigarette smokers who dual use LCC-tobacco and LCC-blunts and are poly users of LCC-tobacco + LCC-blunts, and identify sociodemographic groups at risk for use. The Food and Drug Administration is concerned about concomitant behavior, which may increase chronic disease risk and addiction. Accurate estimates of LCC smoking behaviors may increase our understanding of the harms of concomitant use; which can inform prevention programs that specifically target LCC subtypes.
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Project description:IntroductionThe FDA has restrictions on cigarettes; however, little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) remain largely absent from these regulations. Due to their low prices and flavoring, many engage in dual use of both LCCs and cigarettes. Dual use is particularly prevalent among low income racial/ethnic minority groups. The purpose of this study was to (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014) conduct an exploratory examination among cigarette users compared to dual users on smoking characteristics; and (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016) to examine racial differences (White and Black) among cigarette users compared to dual users.MethodsParticipants (N = 500) were recruited from community corrections (i.e., parole/probation) and categorized as either cigarette-only (66.4%) or dual users (33.6%) if they used little cigars or cigarillos over a one-year period during a smoking cessation clinical trial.ResultsDual users were more likely to be younger, Black, males with lower educational attainment compared to cigarette-only smokers. Smokers with increased nicotine dependence were 17% more likely to be cigarette-only smokers compared to dual users. Racial differences revealed that White/cigarette-only smokers were more likely to report non-menthol use and higher cigarette consumption at the end of treatment compared to Black/cigarette-only or Black/dual users.ConclusionsThis study contributes to our understanding of dual use among a disenfranchised group of smokers. Overall, dual users were more likely to be younger, Black, and male with lower reported nicotine dependence compared to cigarette-only users. Racial differences revealed that non-menthol smokers as well as smokers with greater cigarettes smoked at the end of treatment were more likely White/cigarette-only smokers.
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