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Nicotine reduction as an increase in the unit price of cigarettes: a behavioral economics approach.

ABSTRACT: Urgent action is needed to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Product standards that reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes are now possible both in the U.S. and in countries party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Specifically, standards that required substantially reduced nicotine content in cigarettes could enable cessation in smokers and prevent future smoking among current non-smokers. Behavioral economics uses principles from the field of microeconomics to characterize how consumption of a reinforcer changes as a function of the unit price of that reinforcer (unit price=cost/reinforcer magnitude). A nicotine reduction policy might be considered an increase in the unit price of nicotine because smokers are paying more per unit of nicotine. This perspective allows principles from behavioral economics to be applied to nicotine reduction research questions, including how nicotine consumption, smoking behavior, use of other tobacco products, and use of other drugs of abuse are likely to be affected. This paper reviews the utility of this approach and evaluates the notion that a reduction in nicotine content is equivalent to a reduction in the reinforcement value of smoking-an assumption made by the unit price approach.

SUBMITTER: Smith TT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4446706 | biostudies-other | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Nicotine reduction as an increase in the unit price of cigarettes: a behavioral economics approach.

Smith Tracy T TT Sved Alan F AF Hatsukami Dorothy K DK Donny Eric C EC

Preventive medicine 20140713

Urgent action is needed to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Product standards that reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes are now possible both in the U.S. and in countries party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Specifically, standards that required substantially reduced nicotine content in cigarettes could enable cessation in smokers and prevent future smoking among current non-smokers. Behavioral economics uses principles from the field of microeconomics to characterize how co ...[more]

PMID: 25025523

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Project description:AIM:A previous study showed significantly greater reductions in number of cigarettes smoked and biomarkers of toxicant and carcinogen exposure in smokers assigned to immediate reduction of nicotine in cigarettes to very low levels versus gradually over time or continued smoking of normal nicotine content cigarettes. This study examines the effects of these approaches on selected biomarkers associated with harmful biological effects. DESIGN:Three-arm, randomized controlled trial. SETTING:Ten United States academic institutional sites. PARTICIPANTS:Daily smokers uninterested in quitting smoking with a mean age of 45.1 [standard deviation (SD) = 13.4)] years and smoking 17.1 (SD = 8.5) cigarettes/day; 43.9% (549 of 1250) female; 60.6% (758 of 1250) white ethnicity. INTERVENTIONS:(1) Smoking cigarettes where nicotine content was immediately reduced to very low levels (n = 503); (2) smoking cigarettes where nicotine content was gradually reduced, with dose changes occurring monthly (n = 498); and (3) continued smoking with normal nicotine content cigarettes (n = 249). MEASUREMENTS:Smokers were assessed at baseline while smoking their usual brand cigarettes, and again at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks. Outcomes were areas under the concentration time curve (AUC) for the period of study of biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and hematological parameters. FINDINGS:No consistent significant differences were observed across groups (Bayes factors showing data to be insensitive), with the only exception being red blood cell size variability, which was observed to be lower in the immediate versus gradual nicotine reduction [mean difference = -0.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.18, -0.04, P = 0.004] and normal nicotine control groups (mean difference = - 0.15, 95% CI = -0.23, -0.06, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION:It remains unclear whether switching to very low nicotine cigarettes leads to a short-term reduction in biomarkers of tobacco-related harm.

Project description:IntroductionA mandated reduction in the nicotine content of cigarettes may decrease smoking, but also increase demand for other nicotine products. The present study tested the impact of smoking cigarettes with very low nicotine content and concurrent use of a transdermal nicotine patch.Study designA balanced 2 × 2 factorial randomized clinical trial investigating the impact of cigarette nicotine content (double-blind, very low nicotine content versus normal nicotine content) and use of a transdermal nicotine patch (open label, patch versus no patch).Setting/participantsAdult daily smokers (n=240) in the Pittsburgh, PA area.InterventionParticipants were provided with research cigarettes and transdermal nicotine patches (if assigned to patch condition) for 7 weeks. Cigarettes were Spectrum brand (National Institute on Drug Abuse) and either 15.8 mg nicotine/g tobacco (normal nicotine content) or 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco (very low nicotine content). In the 7th week, participants were monetarily incentivized to abstain from smoking.Main outcome measuresParticipants reported daily cigarette use throughout the trial and the primary outcome was average number of cigarettes smoked per day (study + nonstudy) during Week 6. Participants were recruited from 2015 to 2017 and data were analyzed between 2017 and 2018.ResultsAssignment to very low nicotine content cigarettes and assignment to wear a nicotine patch both reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day during Week 6 (p=0.001 and 0.04, respectively). However, assignment to the patch along with very low nicotine content cigarettes did not significantly reduce cigarette smoking compared with assignment to very low nicotine content cigarettes alone.ConclusionsA mandated reduction in the nicotine content of cigarettes is likely to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day, but the added benefit of concurrent transdermal nicotine is unclear. Future studies should investigate whether alternative sources of noncombusted tobacco, such as e-cigarettes, enhance the effects of very low nicotine content cigarettes on smoking.Trial registrationThis study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02301325.

Project description:IntroductionWith increasing attention to the actual cost of delivering care, return-on-investment calculations take on new significance. Boarded patients in the emergency department (ED) are harmful to clinical care and have significant financial opportunity costs. We hypothesize that investment in an admissions holding unit for admitted ED patients not only captures opportunity cost but also significantly lowers direct cost of care.MethodsThis was a three-phase study at a busy urban teaching center with significant walkout rate. We first determined the true cost of maintaining a staffed ED bed for one patient-hour and compared it to alternative settings. The opportunity cost for patients leaving without being seen was then conservatively estimated. Lastly, a convenience sample of admitted patients boarding in the ED was observed continuously from one hour after decision-to-admit until physical departure from the ED to capture a record of every interaction with a nurse or physician.ResultsPersonnel costs per patient bed-hour were $58.20 for the ED, $24.80 for an inpatient floor, $19.20 for the inpatient observation unit, and $10.40 for an admissions holding area. An eight-bed holding unit operating at practical capacity would free 57.4 hours of bed space in the ED and allow treatment of 20 additional patients. This could yield increased revenues of $27,796 per day and capture opportunity cost of $6.09 million over 219 days, in return for extra staffing costs of $218,650. Analysis of resources used for boarded patients was determined by continuous observation of a convenience sample of ED-boarded patients, which found near-zero interactions with both nursing and physicians during the boarding interval.ConclusionResource expense per ED bed-hour is more than twice that in non-critical care inpatient units. Despite the high cost of available resources, boarded non-critical patients receive virtually no nursing or physician attention. An admissions holding unit is remarkably effective in avoiding the mismatch of the low-needs patients in high-cost care venues. Return on investment is enormous, but this assumes existing clinical space for this unit.

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Nicotine reduction as an increase in the unit price of cigarettes: a behavioral economics approach.

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Nicotine reduction as an increase in the unit price of cigarettes: a behavioral economics approach.

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