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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05487625

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Cigarette Smoking Behavior Smoking Tobacco Smoking Tobacco Use

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Addiction recovery Research center

Roanoke, Virginia, 24016, United States

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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).

Treatment and study plan

High-ventilated cigarette alone

Behavioral

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.

Low-ventilated cigarette alone

Behavioral

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.

High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price

Behavioral

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.

Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price

Behavioral

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.

Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price.

Behavioral

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Intercept

    Time frame: 1 day

    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.

  2. Cigarette Demand Intensity q0

    Time frame: 1 day

    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).

  3. Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Slope

    Time frame: 1 day

    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.

  4. Cigarette Demand Elasticity Alpha

    Time frame: 1 day

    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.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • University of Minnesota

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Aug 4, 2022
Registry last updated
Jul 2, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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