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Massachusetts’ advertising against light cigarettes appears to change beliefs and behavior

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Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the effects of advertising directed against light cigarettes (lights).

Methods: In a quasi-experimental post-test-only design, smokers and ex-smokers (≤1 year) in Massachusetts (MASS) (N=500) and the continental United States (U.S.) (N=501) took part in random-digit dialing telephone interviews. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to control for gender, education, and age effects.

Results: Compared with the U.S., the MASS sample contained more, recent ex-smokers (10% vs. 7% in the U.S.) and more smokers of higher tar cigarettes (44% vs. 35% smokers of regular cigarettes); more U.S. respondents thought lights had at least a slim chance of reducing the risk of health problems (49% vs. 32%). Within MASS, smokers who saw anti-light ads were less likely to think lights decreased the risk of health problems (26% vs. 44%) and more likely to know of filter vents (64% vs. 47%). These effects remained statistically reliable after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions: Amidst extensive anti-smoking efforts, the MASS campaign to counter-market light cigarettes appears to promote smoking cessation and to inform smokers of the risks of light cigarettes. Further counter-marketing efforts should be encouraged.

Section snippets

Methods

Random-digit dialing telephone surveys were conducted with adults (>18) in MASS (n=500) and in the rest of the continental U.S. (n=501), selecting one respondent per household using the last-birthday method.2, 3 Using Advertising Research Foundation procedures,6 response rates were 77% and 79%, refusal rates were 5% and 6%, and cooperation rates were 94% and 93% for MASS and the U.S. Ex-smokers (<1 year; n=59 [MASS], n=47 [U.S.]) and those reporting smoking cigarettes “some days” (n=50 [MASS], n

Results

Tests showed no reliable group differences for age, gender, or years of education. Overall, mean age was 39 ± 14 (SD), N=1001; mean years of education was 13 ±2.5 (SD); and 55% of the sample was female.

Compared with the U.S., MASS smoked marginally fewer cigarettes each day (p<0.06, two-tailed), smoked higher machine-smoked tar-yield cigarettes (Mann-Whitney U, p<0.05), and had more, recent ex-smokers (p<0.05) (Table 1). Within MASS, ad viewers smoked the same number of cigarettes; reported

Discussion

This was not a random-assignment experimental study. We also depended on unconfirmed self-reports of seeing ads, although our ad viewers do seem to have learned from these ads. Our multivariate analyses can’t control for other unmeasured factors that may explain MASS–U.S. or within-MASS differences. In addition to a tax increase, MASS has conducted a complex media campaign involving dozens of different approaches. Viewing the anti-light ads may be correlated with viewing other anti-smoking ads.

Acknowledgements

Data collection for this project was supported by funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Thanks go to Andrew Strasser for assistance with data management. For information on using these ads, contact John Carroll (301-231-7537, x 234, Fax: 301-984-8527), Resource Center, Cygnus Corporation, 5640 Nicholson Lane, Suite 300, Rockville, MD, 20852.

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