Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette
Introduction: Many countries have now mandated warning labels on e-cigarette products. One example, the EU TPD health warning states, “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. [It is not recommended for use by non-smokers]”. The impact of the EU TPD warning message on in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235285321830138X |
| _version_ | 1819055384192614400 |
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| author | Sharon Cox Daniel Frings Reeda Ahmed Lynne Dawkins |
| author_facet | Sharon Cox Daniel Frings Reeda Ahmed Lynne Dawkins |
| author_sort | Sharon Cox |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Many countries have now mandated warning labels on e-cigarette products. One example, the EU TPD health warning states, “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. [It is not recommended for use by non-smokers]”. The impact of the EU TPD warning message on intentions to use, has not been explored within an EU population. Aims: Examine the effect of i) the TPD e-cigarette health warning and ii) an alternative relative risk message, on smokers' willingness to use, likelihood of purchase, and intention to use as a quit aid. Methods: Cross-sectional online study. Ninety-five smokers (55 males; 18–55 years old) were randomly allocated to one of three conditions and viewed ten individually presented e-cigarettes images with either no message, TPD message, or relative risk message. Participants rated i) willingness to use, and likelihood of: ii) purchase, iii) using in the next month, and iv) using in a quit attempt, before and after viewing the images. Results: For willingness to use and likelihood of purchase, ANCOVAs showed a significant main effect of Message Type (ps, <.05); ratings were lower in the TPD condition. Message type, however did not significantly change likelihood of using in the next month or using in a quit attempt. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that the TPD e-cigarette health warning may reduce smokers' willingness to use and likelihood of purchasing an e-cigarette. Messages conveying reduced harm or indeed, no message at all, may be more effective in encouraging smokers to switch to these lower risk products. Keywords: E-cigarettes, Smoking, Nicotine, Health messages, Health warning |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:06:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-442af070c2894327878547e3395403ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-8532 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:06:40Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-442af070c2894327878547e3395403ef2022-12-21T19:03:00ZengElsevierAddictive Behaviors Reports2352-85322018-12-018136139Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigaretteSharon Cox0Daniel Frings1Reeda Ahmed2Lynne Dawkins3Corresponding author.; Centre for Addictive Behaviours Research, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UKCentre for Addictive Behaviours Research, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UKCentre for Addictive Behaviours Research, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UKCentre for Addictive Behaviours Research, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UKIntroduction: Many countries have now mandated warning labels on e-cigarette products. One example, the EU TPD health warning states, “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. [It is not recommended for use by non-smokers]”. The impact of the EU TPD warning message on intentions to use, has not been explored within an EU population. Aims: Examine the effect of i) the TPD e-cigarette health warning and ii) an alternative relative risk message, on smokers' willingness to use, likelihood of purchase, and intention to use as a quit aid. Methods: Cross-sectional online study. Ninety-five smokers (55 males; 18–55 years old) were randomly allocated to one of three conditions and viewed ten individually presented e-cigarettes images with either no message, TPD message, or relative risk message. Participants rated i) willingness to use, and likelihood of: ii) purchase, iii) using in the next month, and iv) using in a quit attempt, before and after viewing the images. Results: For willingness to use and likelihood of purchase, ANCOVAs showed a significant main effect of Message Type (ps, <.05); ratings were lower in the TPD condition. Message type, however did not significantly change likelihood of using in the next month or using in a quit attempt. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that the TPD e-cigarette health warning may reduce smokers' willingness to use and likelihood of purchasing an e-cigarette. Messages conveying reduced harm or indeed, no message at all, may be more effective in encouraging smokers to switch to these lower risk products. Keywords: E-cigarettes, Smoking, Nicotine, Health messages, Health warninghttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235285321830138X |
| spellingShingle | Sharon Cox Daniel Frings Reeda Ahmed Lynne Dawkins Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| title | Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| title_full | Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| title_fullStr | Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| title_full_unstemmed | Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| title_short | Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| title_sort | messages matter the tobacco products directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235285321830138X |
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