The overall aim of this K07 resubmission is to provide Dr. Melissa Mercincavage with the skills and knowledge to achieve her long-term goal of establishing an independent research career evaluating the impact of novel tobacco product marketing, focusing on young adults. This proposal uses low nicotine content (LNC) cigarettes as an archetypal novel tobacco product to acquire relevant expertise that then can be applied to other products in future research. Dr. Mercincavage's training has given her a solid foundation in health behavior research methodology and tobacco regulatory science specific to nicotine reduction. However, she lacks formal training in health communication theory, marketing research, and clinical trial methodologies. Further, her experience with other aspects of regulatory science, and populations other than adult, daily smokers is limited. The proposed research and training activities, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Strasser (Mentor), Dr. Joseph Cappella (Co-Mentor), and a committee of tobacco control experts, will address these gaps and enable Dr. Mercincavage to transition to a distinct, independent career. The proposed training plan establishes several objectives to facilitate this transition, including: 1) acquiring knowledge of health communication theory and marketing research methodologies , 2) expanding tobacco regulatory science knowledge to focus on young adult tobacco use, and FDA regulation in general, and as applied to other tobacco products, and 3) obtaining in-depth training in clinical trial methodology. These objectives will be achieved through a combination of formal coursework, seminars and workshops, and directed mentoring activities. The proposed research includes two laboratory-based studies designed to comprehensively address the effects of potential LNC cigarette marketing (i.e., packaging and advertising). The first study will examine the effects of LNC cigarette packaging color on smoking behaviors, risk perceptions, and harm exposure. Young adult smokers (n = 100) will complete a 35-day, 2 x 4 mixed factorial design protocol manipulating nicotine content (between subject: very low vs. intermediate) and pack color (within-subject: own brand vs. white vs. purple vs. black). The second study will examine LNC cigarette advertising content effects on message recall, viewing patterns, and risk perceptions. Young adults (N = 340; 170 smokers, 170 non-smokers) will complete a single laboratory session using a 2 x 2 between-subject design to manipulate advertisement accuracy (true vs. false) and health claim format (implicit vs. explicit). This proposal logically extends Dr. Mercincavage's prior work, and addresses FDA Center for Tobacco Products and NCI Tobacco Control Research Branch priorities to understand effects of tobacco product marketing. Further, this research will inform two distinct, important potential regulatory actions ? nicotine reduction and marketing ? to reduce the public health burden of tobacco-caused disease , and will culminate in a R01 submission to conduct a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of specific marketing manipulations (identified through the proposed research) in reducing young adult cigarette use.
Reducing cigarette nicotine content has demonstrated promise as a safe and effective strategy for decreasing tobacco-caused morbidity and mortality, yet little data are available to guide the marketing of low nicotine content cigarettes in order to maximize their potential health benefit. This research advances extant work on nicotine product standards by examining the impact of low nicotine content cigarette marketing (i.e., packaging and advertising) on young adults' smoking behaviors, risk perceptions, and harm exposure. Findings may be used to guide public health policy decisions regarding regulation of both cigarette nicotine content and marketing.
