Associations of educational and marketing messages with beliefs about nicotine and reduced nicotine cigarettes

Introduction

Widespread misperceptions about nicotine may have unintended effects on public health. We examined associations between existing messages about nicotine or tobacco and beliefs about nicotine and reduced nicotine cigarettes (RNC).

Methods

2962 U.S. 18–45-year-olds were randomized in a May 2022 web-based survey to view one of 26 text-based messages about tobacco or nicotine from three sources: ongoing research (n = 8), messages authorized by FDA for VLN cigarettes (n = 6), and FDA's “From Plant to Product to Puff” campaign (n = 12); six messages from FDA's campaign did not reference nicotine and were treated as the reference source. Analyses examined associations between messages, grouped by source and individually, with beliefs about nicotine and RNC addictiveness and harms.

Results

Relative to FDA messages that did not reference nicotine, all message sources were associated with greater odds of a correct belief about nicotine (Odds Ratios [ORs] = 1.40–1.87, p's < 0.01); VLN messages were associated with greater correct beliefs about RNC addictiveness (b = 0.23, p < .05). No campaign produced greater correct beliefs about RNC harms. At the individual level, only five messages were associated with a correct belief about nicotine (ORs = 2.12–2.56, p-values < .01), and one with correct beliefs about RNC harms (b = 1.09, p < .05), vs. the reference message.

Conclusions

Few existing messages improved understanding of the risks of nicotine separately from the risks of combustible products. Communication research is needed to promote greater public understanding of nicotine while minimizing unintended effects on nicotine and tobacco use.