Young Adult Nonsmokers Research Articles

Effects of reduced nicotine content cigarette advertising with warning labels and social media features on product perceptions among young adults.

This study sought to understand reactions to very low nicotine (VLN) cigarette advertising compared with conventional cigarette advertising with consideration of warning labels and social media context. The online experimental study recruited young adult cigarette smokers and nonsmokers (N = 1,608). Participants completed a discrete choice task with a 2 × 2 × 3 mixed design: brand, (VLN, Marlboro), context (Ad only, Ad on social media), and warning (Text-only, Well-known risk pictorial, or Lesser-known risk pictorial). Participants made choices about attention, appeal, harm, buying, and quitting intentions. Social media context increased attention and appeal. A well-known risk pictorial warning outperformed a text-only warning. Smokers had increased odds of quit intentions for VLN ads, yet nonsmokers had increased intentions to buy cigarettes on social media with a text-only warning. Results indicate differences in how young adults react to cigarette ads on social media, especially with the warnings they portray.

Perceptions about levels of harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes, and associations with relative e-cigarette harm perceptions, e-cigarette use and interest.

Exposure to chemicals contributes to harm from nicotine products, and e-cigarette communications often refer to chemicals. However, while e-cigarette studies commonly measure perceived harmfulness of e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes, few have assessed comparative perceptions about chemicals. This study measured perceived levels of harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes compared with cigarettes and associations with e-cigarette/cigarette relative harm perceptions, e-cigarette use and interest. This was an on-line cross-sectional survey of adults/young adults from a nationally representative research panel in the United States conducted in January 2021. Participants were independent samples of 1018 adults who smoked cigarettes and 1051 young adult non-smokers (aged 18-29 years). Participants were asked their perceptions of the level of harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes versus cigarettes (fewer/about the same/more/do not know), perceived harmfulness of using e-cigarette versus cigarettes (less/about the same/more/do not know) and their current e-cigarette use and use interest. Approximately 20% of all participants (18.1% of adult smokers, and 21.0% of young adult non-smokers)believed e-cigarettes contain fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes, while 35.6% of adult smokers and 24.9% of young adult non-smokers responded 'do not know'. Participants more frequently reported 'do not know' to the chemicals item than the harm item. Approximately half (51.0-55.7%) of those who believed e-cigarettes contain fewer harmful chemicals also believed e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes. Both beliefs were associated with higher odds of interest in using e-cigarettes [less harmful belief, odds ratio (OR) = 5.53, 95% confidence interval (CI = 2.93-10.43); fewer chemicals belief, OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.40-4.29] and past 30-day e-cigarette use (less harmful belief, OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.17-5.44; fewer chemicals belief, OR = 5.09, 95% CI = 2.31-11.19) for adults who smoke, but not young adult non-smokers. In the United States, most adults who smoke cigarettes and young adult non-smokers do not appear to think that e-cigarettes have fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes, and many are uncertain about how these levels compare.

Behavioral intentions assessment of a disposable e-cigarette among adult current, former, and non-smokers in the United States.

Modeling the public health effects of e-cigarettes requires estimates of the likelihood that different individuals and population subgroups will start using e-cigarettes and subsequently transition to and from combustible cigarette use. To begin to generate input values for modeling efforts, this study assessed adults' behavioral intentions in relation to a disposable e-cigarette, "BIDI® Stick." An online questionnaire assessed intentions to try and use a BIDI® Stick regularly in 11 flavor variants among United States (U.S.) nationally representative samples of adult (21+ years) non-smokers (n = 2284), current smokers (n = 2391), former smokers (n = 2241), and young adult (21-24 years) non-smokers (n = 1140) of combustible cigarettes following exposure to product information and images. Current smokers rated their intentions to use a BIDI® Stick to partially or completely replace cigarettes. Positive intention to try a BIDI® Stick at least once was, for each flavor variant, highest among current smokers (22.4%-28.1%), lower among former smokers (6.0%-9.7%) and non-smokers (3.4%-5.2%), and lowest among never-smokers (1.0%-2.4%). Among current smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers, trial and regular use intentions were lowest among e-cigarette non-users and e-cigarette never-users. Approximately 23.6% of current smokers reported an intention to use a BIDI® Stick in at least one flavor to completely switch from cigarettes and/or to reduce cigarette consumption. Low trial and regular use intentions suggest that U.S. adults who do not currently smoke cigarettes and/or use e-cigarettes are unlikely to initiate use of the BIDI® Stick e-cigarette. Trial and regular use intentions are highest among adults who currently smoke cigarettes and/or use e-cigarettes. A moderate proportion of current smokers may try using a BIDI® Stick e-cigarette as a partial or complete replacement for combustible cigarettes.

Serum Glutathione Peroxidase and Superoxide Dismutase Levels in Young Adult Active Smokers and Non-Smokers in a Southwest Based Tertiary Institution

Cigarette smoking is still a major public health issue, as it is the primary cause of various preventable diseases and premature deaths around the world. Previous studies have shown that tobacco components aggravate respiratory burst thus increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This case-control study is to examine glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels among young adult active and non-active cigarette smokers at a tertiary institution in South West, Nigeria. This descriptive comparative study was carried out to compare the levels of serum glutathione peroxidase by Paglia and Valentine method and Nebot method of superoxide dismutase estimation in young adult active smokers and non-smokers in Ogun state based tertiary institution, between February and June, 2021. There was a significantly higher level (p = 0.000) of glutathione peroxidase in the case (55.39 ± 2.87) compared to the control (42.59 ± 2.41). There was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different categories of years of smoking among the group of smokers. There was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different quantities of cigarettes smoked by the participants. This study revealed that there was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different categories of years amd quantity of cigarette smoked among the group of smakers. Prolonged exposure and quantity of cigarette smooke by smokers did not cause depletion of antioxidants among active smokers. However, smoking was associated with a higher level of oxidative stress marker.

Респираторные аллергические заболевания у курящих и некурящих молодых мужчин

Background: smoking is a well-known trigger of asthma. Therefore, doctors should be alert for smok-ers with respiratory allergies. Aim: to compare the severity of respiratory allergy course, pollen and house dust sensiti-zation, and laboratory and instrumental tests in young adult male smokers and non-smokers. Patients and Methods: a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 249 men aged 16–27 years with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma was performed. Patients were examined on the basis of the standard of medical care for adults with asthma. Allergic examination included skin tests and allergen-specific IgE measurement. Results: 249 patients were divided into 2 groups: smokers (n=62) and non-smokers (n=187). The mean age of smokers and non-smokers was 19.3±0.5 and 18.6±0.3 years, respectively. The median smoking history was 2.0 [1.0; 4.0] years. Allergic asthma was more common in smokers (93.5%) than in non-smokers (89.3%). No differences in the rate of allergic rhinitis were reported. Comparative cross-sectional analysis of examination results in young patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma has demonstrated that positive tests for tree pollen and house dust prevail in both groups. No differences in sensitization between smokers and non-smokers were reported. The mean spirometry values in smokers were lower than those in non-smokers. Bron-chodilator coefficient calculated by forced expiratory volume in 1 s correlated with absolute eosinophil count only in smokers. Conclusions: no significant differences in the severity of allergic rhinitis and asthma, sen-sitization to pollen and house dust, peripheral blood eosinophil counts, and total serum IgE levels were reported between young smokers and non-smokers. KEYWORDS: smoking, asthma, allergic rhinitis, electronic cigarettes, traditional cigarettes. FOR CITATION: Devyatkova E.A., Minaeva N.V., Tarasova M.V., Shelud'ko V.S., Plotnikova E.Yu. Respiratory allergies in young adult male smokers and non-smokers. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2023;7(8):482–487 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2023-7-8-2.

Knowledge about the health risks of cigarette smoking in young adult smokers and nonsmokers university students: a comparative cross-sectional study

Tobacco use and related exposure in Pakistan are responsible for approximately 110,000 deaths. While previous studies have reported improved knowledge about the health risks of cigarette smoking among the general population due to ongoing tobacco control programs, fewer studies have investigated such knowledge in young adults. Thus, we conducted a comparative cross-sectional study of 220 young adult students aged 22 years (interquartile range (IQR) = 2) enrolled at a public university to assess their knowledge of the health risks of cigarette smoking and to compare this knowledge between smokers and nonsmokers. The self-administered semistructured questionnaire collected sociodemographic data, cigarette smoking status, and knowledge about the health risks of cigarette smoking. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and the Mann‒Whitney U test. Overall, most young adults were nonsmokers (69.09%), and the remaining 30.91% of smokers smoked an average of 5.31 ± 2.40 cigarettes daily for 3.80 ± 1.33 years, primarily in rural areas (p < 0.05). Nearly half of the young adults showed good knowledge of the health risks of cigarette smoking, irrespective of smoking status (smokers = 54.41%, nonsmokers = 53.29%). Conversely, few young adults demonstrated poor knowledge (smokers = 10.29%, nonsmokers = 6.58%) about the health hazards of cigarette smoking. Our findings showed that smoking rates were higher among young adults in rural settings than in urban areas. In addition, knowledge of gender-specific health risks associated with cigarette smoking, such as pregnancy-related complications in female smokers and male impotence in male smokers, was low. Nonetheless, almost half of the young adults displayed good knowledge of most of the potential health risks of cigarette smoking, regardless of their smoking status.

Message frames in health warnings and plain packaging. What effects do they have on non-smokers?

Objective: The key to controlling tobacco use lies in preventing new smokers. Graphic health warnings and plain packaging are policy interventions to discourage cigarette consumption. This study examined the effect of the warning message frame (gain vs loss) and cigarette packaging (branded vs plain) in non-smokers. Methods: Young adult non-smokers aged 18–22 years ( n = 282) were recruited online and randomised to one of four experimental conditions, in a 2 (Package, plain vs branded) × 2 (Frame, gain vs loss) between-subjects experimental design. Each participant was exposed to four images of cigarette packs. After observing each image, participants reported the perceived message effectiveness, perceived risks (or benefit) of smoking (or not), decision not to smoke, and attention to image. Results: Separate two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) that examined the main effects of frame and package were used for each measure. A loss-framed warning was perceived as more effective, increased risk perception, enhanced awareness of the health benefits of not smoking, produced less desire to smoke, and strengthened the decision not to smoke. Plain packaging had no significant effect on any of the outcomes. No significant differences were found in visual attention. Conclusions: The results suggest that loss-framed warnings were more effective in preventing non-smokers from starting, compared with gain-framed warnings. Plain packaging did not seem to enhance the effect of health warnings in our sample of non-smokers.

Exploring the implications of modified risk claim placement in tobacco advertising

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed a regulatory process by which tobacco companies can apply to make “modified risk tobacco product” (MRTP) marketing claims that their product poses a lower risk of disease or exposure to harmful constituents. The impact of MRTP claims to promote harm reduction may be limited by perceptions that claims come from the tobacco industry, lack of attention, and the simultaneous presence of health warnings on ads, which may be perceived as conflicting information. Some studies have examined the potential of alternative “modified risk warnings”. We aimed to contribute to this literature by exploring issues of claim attention, perceived source and credibility when viewing MRTP claims within or outside of a warning label. We conducted 11 focus groups with adult smokers and young adult (ages 18–25) non-smokers (n = 54) who viewed three e-cigarette or snus advertisements which varied in where an MRTP message was placed: outside the warning label, inside the warning label, or in a modified label style. Results suggest that MRTP claims presented within or in the style of a warning label (compared to claims outside the label), may be perceived as coming from a government or health-related source rather than a tobacco industry, and thus seem more credible. Yet these formats may receive insufficient message attention, as they are smaller and appear as part of labels consumers are accustomed to ignoring. Future research should further probe effects of MRTP statements and how they vary by message source, channel and format.

Effects of mental simulation of future waterpipe tobacco smoking on attitudes, perceived harms and intended use among young adults.

The desire to engage in waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) may occur when smokers and nonsmokers conjure positive mental simulations of WTS. However, effects of these simulations on desire to smoke waterpipe tobacco and potential mediators are unexplored. This research addressed these effects among young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers and nonsmokers. Two online studies were conducted with adults ages 18-30. In Study 1, 200 smokers, 190 susceptible nonsmokers, and 182 nonsusceptible nonsmokers were randomized to mentally simulate or not WTS in the future. In Study 2, 234 smokers and 241 susceptible nonsmokers were randomized to four arms: no simulation or simulations that varied valence of experience (positive, negative or no valence provided). Main outcomes were immediate desire to smoke waterpipe tobacco, cognitive and affective attitudes, and perceived harms. In Study 1, mental simulations increased the desire to smoke waterpipe tobacco among smokers. In Study 2, asking participants to simulate WTS positively or with no valence instruction increased desire to smoke relative to negative valence instruction or no simulation. Negative simulations reduced perceived probability of smoking within a month compared to positive simulations. Effects on desire to engage in WTS were mediated by cognitive and affective attitudes among susceptible nonsmokers and by cognitive attitudes among smokers. These findings suggest that exploring when and how often mental simulations about WTS are evoked and their potency for promoting prevention and cessation of WTS merit further attention.

Addicted to smoking or addicted to nicotine? A focus group study on perceptions of nicotine and addiction among US adult current smokers, former smokers, non-smokers and dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

In 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed to reduce nicotine in cigarettes to minimally or non-addictive levels. This study qualitatively explored perceptions of nicotine and addiction, both independently and in response to messages communicating about nicotine reduction. Qualitative study using focus groups. Participants described their perceptions of nicotine and addiction and their responses to messages about the nicotine reduction. Atlanta, GA and San Francisco, CA, USA. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted virtually in Spring 2020. Exclusive smokers (n=27), dual users (of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes) (n=25), former smokers (n=32) and young adult non-smokers (n=31). Inductive thematic analysis of transcripts was conducted, and results were compared across smoking status groups. Participants across all smoking status groups associated nicotine with tobacco products, but consistently misperceived that nicotine caused disease. Perceptions of addiction were largely negative and varied by smoking status. Experienced smokers (exclusive smokers, former smokers and dual users) differentiated tobacco use from other addictions and minimized their own experiences of addiction. Perceptions of addiction across experienced smokers included not only the chemical properties of nicotine, but also the behavioral aspects of tobacco use, including oral fixation, having a smoking routine and response to internal and external cues. In response to messages, many believed that removing the nicotine would not make cigarettes less addictive because of the multi-factorial nature of smoking addiction that includes non-pharmacological cues. Perceptions of nicotine and addiction among non-smokers, former smokers, exclusive smokers and dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes vary based on smoking status, but there is a common tendency to believe that nicotine is addictive, that addiction results from more than just nicotine, and that very low nicotine cigarettes will not necessarily reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes.

Novel Insights into Young Adults' Perceived Effectiveness of Waterpipe Tobacco-Specific Pictorial Health Warning Labels in Lebanon: Implications for Tobacco Control Policy.

This study aims to explore the perceived effectiveness of waterpipe (WP) tobacco specific health warning labels (HWLs) among young adult WP smokers and nonsmokers in Lebanon. Before participating in focus group discussions, participants (n = 66; WP smokers n = 30; nonsmokers n = 36; age 18–33) completed a brief survey to rate the effectiveness of 12 HWLs’ and rank them according to four risk themes (WP health effects, WP harm to others, WP-specific harm, and WP harm compared to cigarettes). Differences in HWLs ratings by WP smoking status were examined and the top-ranked HWL in each theme were identified. HWLs depicting mouth cancer and harm to babies were rated as the most effective by both WP smokers and non-smokers. WP smokers rated HWLs which depicted harm to children and infants as more effective than non-smokers. The top-ranked HWLs for perceived overall effectiveness were those depicting “oral cancer”, “harm to babies”, “orally transmitted diseases” and “mouth cancer”. HWLs depicting oral lesions and harm to babies were rated as most effective, while HWLs showing the harmful effects of WP secondhand smoke on infants and children were rated as less effective by nonsmokers compared to smokers. Our study provides evidence on the potential effectiveness of HWLs for further evaluation in Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean region. The results will inform and guide the development and implementation of tobacco control policy.

Task-dependent effects of nicotine treatment on auditory performance in young-adult and elderly human nonsmokers

Electrophysiological studies show that nicotine enhances neural responses to characteristic frequency stimuli. Previous behavioral studies partially corroborate these findings in young adults, showing that nicotine selectively enhances auditory processing in difficult listening conditions. The present work extended previous work to include both young and older adults and assessed the nicotine effect on sound frequency and intensity discrimination. Hypotheses were that nicotine improves auditory performance and that the degree of improvement is inversely proportional to baseline performance. Young (19–23 years old) normal-hearing nonsmokers and elderly (61–80) nonsmokers with normal hearing between 500 and 2000 Hz received nicotine gum (6 mg) or placebo gum in a single-blind, randomized crossover design. Participants performed three experiments (frequency discrimination, frequency modulation identification, and intensity discrimination) before and after treatment. The perceptual differences were analyzed between pre- and post-treatment, as well as between post-treatment nicotine and placebo conditions as a function of pre-treatment baseline performance. Compared to pre-treatment performance, nicotine significantly improved frequency discrimination. Compared to placebo, nicotine significantly improved performance for intensity discrimination, and the improvement was more pronounced in the elderly with lower baseline performance. Nicotine had no effect on frequency modulation identification. Nicotine effects are task-dependent, reflecting possible interplays of subjects, tasks and neural mechanisms.

Examining the effect of waterpipe specific pictorial health warning labels among young adults in Lebanon and Tunisia: Protocol of a factorial experiment study design

BackgroundWaterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) has increased substantially in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), affecting young adults who perceive waterpipe as safer than cigarette smoking. Applying pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on tobacco products has been effective in communicating health risks associated with tobacco smoking. However, there are few experimental studies that examined pictorial HWLs specific to WTS. Methods/design: This report describes the design and protocol of the first factorial experimental study that aims to test the effectiveness of pictorial HWLs based on their placement on waterpipe device, tobacco, and charcoal packages among young adult smokers and non-smokers residing in Lebanon and Tunisia. After completing a baseline assessment, participants will be randomly assigned to 3 experimental conditions in a 3 (HWL: pictorial HWL on tobacco package vs. pictorial HWL on 3 placements [device, tobacco, and charcoal packages] vs. text-only HWL on tobacco package) x 4 (pictorial HWLs) x 2 (waterpipe smokers vs. non-smokers) factorial design. We will use a within/between-subject design, where pictorial HWLs and time (pre vs. post-exposure) are the within-subject factors and waterpipe smoking status as the between-subjects factor. Participants will complete post-exposure measures that include attention, perceived harm, intention to quit (smokers) or initiate smoking (non-smokers). Discussion: This is the first international study examining the placements of pictorial HWLs using efficient within/between subject design. Findings will provide additional evidence to convince policymakers to consider three placements of HWLs specific to WTS as a promising regulatory target to curb WTS.

‘95% less harmful’? Exploring reactions to quantitative modified risk claims for snus and e-cigarettes

ObjectivesStudies examining perceptions of ‘modified risk tobacco product’ (MRTP) messages for e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco have indicated consumers want statistics and quantification of harm reduction. However, limited research exists on...

Effects of modified risk tobacco product claims on consumer comprehension and risk perceptions of IQOS

IntroductionTobacco industry studies on consumers’ perceptions of modified risk claims (MRCs) often had important omissions (eg, no control group, not investigating whether consumers understand what ‘switching completely’ means). This study...

E-cigarette use is associated with subsequent cigarette use among young adult non-smokers, over and above a range of antecedent risk factors: a propensity score analysis.

There is a public health concern that the use of e-cigarettes among non-smoking young adults could be associated with transition to combustible cigarette use. The current study is a quasi-experimental test of the relationship between e-cigarette use and subsequent combustible cigarette use among young adult non-smokers, accounting for a wide range of common risk factors. Logistic regression was used to predict combustible cigarette use on three or more occasions at age 23years based on age 21 e-cigarette use. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was used to account for confounding variables. Data were drawn from the Community Youth Development Study (CYDS), a cohort study of youth recruited in 2003 in 24 rural communities in sevenUS. states PARTICIPANTS: Youth in the CYDS study (n=4407) were surveyed annually from ages 11 to 16, and at ages 18, 19, 21 and 23years (in 2016). The sample was gender balanced (50% female) and ethnically diverse (20% Hispanic, 64% white, 3% black and 12% other race or ethnicity). The current study was limited to participants who had never used combustible cigarettes by age 21 (n=1825). Age 21 use of e-cigarettes and age 23 use of combustible cigarettes (three or more occasions) were included in the regression analysis. Age 11-19 measures of 22 common predictors of both e-cigarette and combustible cigarette use (e.g. pro-cigarette attitudes, peer smoking, family monitoring) were used to create IPWs. After applying IPW, e-cigarette use at age 21 was associated with a twofold increase in odds of combustible cigarette use on three or more occasions 2years later (odds ratio=2.16, confidence interval 1.23, 3.79). Among previously never-smoking US young adults, e-cigarette use appears to be strongly associated with subsequent combustible cigarette smoking, over and above measured preexisting risk factors.

Both Nonsmoking Youth and Smoking Adults Like Sweet and Minty E-liquid Flavors More Than Tobacco Flavor

Smokers may reduce their health risk by switching to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use. As e-cigarettes are not harmless, concerns exist about e-cigarette use by nonsmokers and youth. E-liquids are available in many different flavors that increase sensory appeal. Flavor preferences may differ between user groups, which could open doors for product regulation. We investigated which e-liquid flavors are attractive to specific user groups by comparing liking between adolescent nonsmokers (n = 41; mean age 16.9 ± 0.8), young adult nonsmokers (n = 42; mean age 22.7 ± 1.7), and adult smokers (n = 56; mean age 39.7 ± 11.1). Participants smelled tobacco- (n = 6) and nontobacco (n = 24)-flavored e-liquids and rated liking on a 9-point labeled hedonic scale, and familiarity, overall intensity, perceived sweetness, perceived bitterness, and irritation of the odors on a 100-unit Visual Analog Scale. Mean liking ranged from 2.3 (whiskey) to 6.7 (peppermint). Within all groups, the typically sweet and minty flavors (e.g., wine gum, watermelon, peppermint, menthol) were liked significantly more than the tobacco-flavored e-liquids. The set of tobacco-flavored e-liquids was significantly, but slightly, less disliked by adult smokers (3.9 ± 0.2) than adolescent (3.1 ± 0.3) and young adult (3.4 ± 0.3) nonsmokers (P < 0.001). No between-group differences were observed for sweet and minty flavors. Liking correlated significantly positively with odor sweetness (R = 0.49) and familiarity (R = 0.48) and negatively with odor bitterness (R = −0.58), irritation (R = −0.47), and overall intensity (R = −0.27). Thus, sweet- and minty-flavored e-liquids are liked equally by young nonsmokers and adult smokers, and more than tobacco flavors. Banning all flavors except tobacco will likely reduce e-cigarette appeal; potentially more for young nonsmokers than adult smokers.

Smokers' and Young Adult Non-Smokers' Perceptions and Perceived Impact of Snus and E-Cigarette Modified Risk Messages.

Although no tobacco products are safe, tobacco companies in the United States may request regulatory authorization to make certain “modified risk tobacco product” (MRTP) claims in their marketing. However, few qualitative studies have explored consumer perceptions and understanding of comparative risk messages and wordings. We examined consumer perceptions of statements indicating reduced risks and exposure to chemicals from snus and e-cigarettes relative to smoking. We conducted 12 focus groups with adult smokers (ages 21–66) and young adult (YA) non-smokers (ages 18–25) (n = 57) in the USA in 2019. Participants shared reactions to modified risk and exposure messages and message variations. Participants largely understood claims, including language about “switching completely.” However, participants expressed desire for more message specificity, evidence, risk reduction reasons, and statistics/quantitative information. Claim believability and acceptance was also limited by existing negative product beliefs and experiences, negative media reports, and skepticism about message source. YAs did not express product interest based on message exposure. Some YAs suggested the included “smoker” language made the messages less interesting/relevant. Given existing proposals for and use of MRTP messages, additional research on their wording, framing, delivery, and effects may help inform regulatory or organizational decisions about such messages, optimize potential benefits, and mitigate unintended consequences.

Comparison of Bone Turnover Markers between Young Adult Male Smokers and Nonsmokers.

BackgroundThis study aims to compare the differences in the means of bone formation and resorption markers between young adult male smokers and nonsmokers.MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional, descriptive design. Thirty-five smokers and 38 nonsmokers were recruited. All participants completed self-reported questionnaires about demographics, physical activity, and smoking status. In addition, blood specimens were collected to determine serum levels of bone turnover markers.ResultsRegarding bone formation markers, the least square means (LSM) for osteoprotegerin (OPG) and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) were similar for smoking and nonsmoking groups. Regarding bone resorption markers, the LSM serum carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CTXI) level was found to be significantly lower in smokers than nonsmokers [0.82 ± 0.83 vs. 1.30 ± 0.82 ng/mL, F (1, 66) = 5.73, p = 0.020]. The LSM for soluble-receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (sRANKL) [1.64 ± 0.60 vs. 1.69 ± 0.62 ng/mL, F (1,64) = 10.74, p = 0.002] and RANKL/OPG [2.62 ± 1.09 vs. 2.81 ± 1.10 ng/mL, F (1,65) = 5.88, p = 0.018] were different for smoking and nonsmoking groups. Exploration of the moderating influence of physical activity on smoking effects revealed significant effect for the interaction between smoking status and physical activity on sRANKL [F (2, 64) = 8.63, p = 0.001] and RANKL/OPG ratio [F (2, 65) = 5.49, p = 0.006].ConclusionOur study provides evidence for the effect of smoking on bone resorption markers in young adult males. Such effects should be carefully considered side by side with other lifestyles that may lead to poor bone health and increased risk for osteoporosis.

Nicotine enhances auditory processing in healthy and normal-hearing young adult nonsmokers.

Electrophysiological studies show that systemic nicotine narrows frequency receptive fields and increases gain in neural responses to characteristic frequency stimuli. We postulated that nicotine enhances related auditory processing in humans. The main hypothesis was that nicotine improves auditory performance. A secondary hypothesis was that the degree of nicotine-induced improvement depends on the individual's baseline performance. Young (18-27years old), normal-hearing nonsmokers received nicotine (Nicorette gum, 6mg) or placebo gum in a single-blind, randomized, crossover design. Subjects performed four experiments involving tone-in-noise detection, temporal gap detection, spectral ripple discrimination, and selective auditory attention before and after treatment. The perceptual differences between posttreatment nicotine and placebo conditions were measured and analyzed as a function of the pre-treatment baseline performance. Nicotine significantly improved performance in the more difficult tasks of tone-in-noise detection and selective attention (effect size = - 0.3) but had no effect on relatively easier tasks of temporal gap detection and spectral ripple discrimination. The two tasks showing significant nicotine effects further showed no baseline-dependent improvement. Nicotine improves auditory performance in difficult listening situations. The present results support future investigation of nicotine effects in clinical populations with auditory processing deficits or reduced cholinergic activation.