Effects of Tobacco Abuse Liability-dependent Taxes in the ETM

In this study, the investigators will experimentally examine the impact of abuse-liability taxes on tobacco product purchases and ultimately tobacco dependence.

The investigators hypothesize that (1) the three abuse-liability tax proposals (product category score; product category rank; product tiers) will decrease purchasing of products with the highest abuse liability; and (2) increase purchasing of products with lower abuse liability (substitution) compared to control. Moreover, (3) the tax rate based on product category score will lead to the greatest substitution, because it is most reflective of abuse liability differences.

In a within-subject design, cigarette smokers stratified by age will complete one control trial and three ETM conditions representing the three tax rates based on abuse liability. Within each condition, taxes will be increased proportionally across 5 trials to examine how cigarette purchasing and substitution are affected.

The study will consist of two in-lab visits and one phone call visit: 1) a consent and assessments session 2) an ETM session, and a 3) follow-up phone-call session approximately 7 days after session 2. Session 1 and 2 will be separated by an at home product sampling phase.

• Session 1: Consent and Assessments In the consent and initial assessment session, participants will go through standard consent procedures. Participants will provide a breath sample to confirm recent levels of smoking that will be measured using a CoVita® Micro+ Basic Smokelizer. Women of child-bearing age will provide a urine sample to test for pregnancy. Participants will complete a timeline follow back to assess previous month smoking habits and consumption of nicotine products to determine ETM budget. Participants will complete a survey with demographic questions and nicotine/tobacco-related assessments (Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence, Perceived Health Risk adapted, Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief, Motivation to Quit, Self-efficacy to Quit, and The Contemplation Ladder adapted).

For the at home sampling period, participants will be shown a menu of the products available for purchase in the ETM. Participants will choose one product from each category, to sample at home, before the next session (approximately 4 days later). Participants will receive instructions to use the products over the next four days. Participants will complete a product evaluation scale for each product. Participants will be asked if they sampled each product as instructed.

• Session 2: ETM In the ETM session, participants will be provided with an individual 7-day experimental budget calculated based on their average tobacco/nicotine consumption over the past 30 days. For example, if a participant reports smoking 20 cigarettes per day (a pack), they will receive $35.00, equivalent to 140 cigarettes (or 7 packs) multiplied by $0.25 per cigarette (market price of an individual cigarette) to spend in the ETM. In the ETM, first, participants will experience two practice trials. Then, participants will complete the real ETM consisting of one control trial and three tax rate conditions based on abuse liability. Conditions will be balanced in a latin square design to account for any other effects. Participants will complete a total of 20 purchasing trials each for 7 days worth of products. In each trial, participants will buy tobacco products to use throughout the next 7 days. At the end of the session, the participant will randomly draw an individual purchasing trial and will receive all the products purchased at that trial to use over the next week. During the following 7 days, the participant is asked to use only the tobacco/nicotine products received during the study.
• Session 3: Follow-up In the follow-up session, participants will receive a phone call from study personnel who will complete a timeline follow back interview to assess previous week recent smoking, and consumption of nicotine products, Product Evaluation Scale, Motivation to Quit, Self-efficacy to quit, The Contemplation Ladder adapted, and Experiment/Experimenter Attitudes Rating Scale. These questions may be asked over the phone and/or using zoom.

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)
• Smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily
• Use other tobacco products less than weekly

Exclusion criteria

• Have uncontrolled physical or mental health conditions
• Use of smoking cessation medications (e.g., nicotine replacement, bupropion, varenicline) in the past 30 days
• Report concrete, immediate plans to alter/quit using their usual tobacco products in the next 30 days
• If they are pregnant or lactating
• Have plans to move out of the area during the experiment