TY - JOUR
T1 - Is perception reality? Associations among “light” cigarettes and number of cigarettes smoked per day
AU - Freitas-Lemos, Roberta
AU - Tegge, Allison N.
AU - Athamneh, Liqa N.
AU - Yeh, Yu Hua
AU - Craft, William H.
AU - Stein, Jeffrey S.
AU - Smith, Tracy T.
AU - Stepanov, Irina
AU - Rees, Vaughan W.
AU - Cummings, K. Michael
AU - O'Connor, Richard J.
AU - Shields, Peter G.
AU - Hatsukami, Dorothy K.
AU - Bickel, Warren K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2023/3/1
Y1 - 2023/3/1
N2 - Introduction: Cigarette filter ventilation and light descriptors are associated with lowered perceptions of risk and smoking more cigarettes per day (CPD). This study examined the relationship between usual cigarette ventilation, perception, and CPD. Methods: A crowdsourced sample (N = 995) of individuals who smoke higher-ventilated (=>20% ventilation) or lower-ventilated (=<10% ventilation) cigarettes identified their usual cigarette as “light” or “full flavor”, and reported their average CPD. Results: We found: 1) no association between ventilation status and perception of light versus full flavor (AUC=0.58), with the inaccurate perception being more prevalent in younger individuals (p = 0.041) and those who smoke L&M (73%, p < 0.001) and Camel (61%, p = 0.006) brands; and 2) perception, but not ventilation of usual cigarette, was significantly associated with CPD (p = 0.006), with individuals who perceived their cigarettes as light reporting an average of 13% more cigarettes per day (2.6 CPD), compared to those who perceived their cigarette as full flavor. Conclusions: Perceptions of light versus full-flavor, but not ventilation status, predicted CPD. These findings may inform anti-smoking health communication strategies and smoking cessation interventions. Implications: Tobacco control policies should eradicate the perception of cigarettes as light or full-flavored. Future research investigating the associations between cigarette filter ventilation and smoking behavior should consider the confounding effects that may lie in an individual's perceptions of their cigarettes.
AB - Introduction: Cigarette filter ventilation and light descriptors are associated with lowered perceptions of risk and smoking more cigarettes per day (CPD). This study examined the relationship between usual cigarette ventilation, perception, and CPD. Methods: A crowdsourced sample (N = 995) of individuals who smoke higher-ventilated (=>20% ventilation) or lower-ventilated (=<10% ventilation) cigarettes identified their usual cigarette as “light” or “full flavor”, and reported their average CPD. Results: We found: 1) no association between ventilation status and perception of light versus full flavor (AUC=0.58), with the inaccurate perception being more prevalent in younger individuals (p = 0.041) and those who smoke L&M (73%, p < 0.001) and Camel (61%, p = 0.006) brands; and 2) perception, but not ventilation of usual cigarette, was significantly associated with CPD (p = 0.006), with individuals who perceived their cigarettes as light reporting an average of 13% more cigarettes per day (2.6 CPD), compared to those who perceived their cigarette as full flavor. Conclusions: Perceptions of light versus full-flavor, but not ventilation status, predicted CPD. These findings may inform anti-smoking health communication strategies and smoking cessation interventions. Implications: Tobacco control policies should eradicate the perception of cigarettes as light or full-flavored. Future research investigating the associations between cigarette filter ventilation and smoking behavior should consider the confounding effects that may lie in an individual's perceptions of their cigarettes.
KW - Cigarette descriptors
KW - Filter ventilation
KW - Full flavor cigarettes
KW - Light cigarettes
KW - Perceptions
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109709
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109709
M3 - Article
C2 - 36642000
AN - SCOPUS:85146299782
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 244
JO - Drug and alcohol dependence
JF - Drug and alcohol dependence
M1 - 109709
ER -