Point-of-Sale Poster Strategies for Reducing Teen Tobacco Use

Overseen By William G Shadel, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: RAND

Disqualifiers: Medical, psychiatric conditions, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

445 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The overall aim of this research is to experimentally evaluate different, legally-viable approaches to reducing the impact of the point-of-sale (POS) retail environment on adolescent tobacco use risk. This study will be investigating regulations for four classes of tobacco products (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, little cigars/cigarillos). Study 2 and study 3 (out of 3 studies), occurring concurrently, will examine whether changing the number and content of posters on the outside doors at POS reduced adolescents' tobacco use risk.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What safety data exists for point-of-sale poster strategies to reduce teen tobacco use?

The provided research does not directly address safety data for point-of-sale poster strategies aimed at reducing teen tobacco use. The studies focus on the impact of removing tobacco displays and ads, plain packaging, and public education campaigns on youth and adult tobacco use. No specific safety data for the strategies mentioned (Fewer posters, no price restrictions, Reduced POS Advertising, etc.) is available in the provided research. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the treatment in the trial 'Point-of-Sale Poster Strategies for Reducing Teen Tobacco Use' promising?

Yes, the treatment is promising because studies show that reducing point-of-sale tobacco displays and ads can decrease youth smoking rates. This suggests that strategies like point-of-sale posters could effectively reduce teen tobacco use. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

What data supports the idea that Point-of-Sale Poster Strategies for Reducing Teen Tobacco Use is an effective treatment?

The available research does not provide specific data supporting the effectiveness of Point-of-Sale Poster Strategies for reducing teen tobacco use. Instead, it highlights the impact of other tobacco control strategies, such as The Real Cost campaign, which achieved high awareness among youth and was perceived as effective. This suggests that awareness and perception are important for changing tobacco-related behaviors. However, there is no direct evidence from the research provided that Point-of-Sale Poster Strategies alone are effective in reducing teen tobacco use. ^{1 5 9 10 11}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for college students aged 18-20 who haven't been in a previous StoreLab study. It's not suitable for those with medical or psychiatric conditions that could interfere with following the study rules.

Exclusion Criteria

Previous participation in a previous StoreLab study

Any medical or psychiatric condition which would make compliance with the study protocol difficult (based on parent report)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Experimental Manipulation

Participants are exposed to different point-of-sale advertising conditions in the StoreLab to assess tobacco use risk

1 visit

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for self-reported tobacco use risk after exposure to experimental conditions

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Fewer posters, no price restrictions
• Many posters, no prices
• Many posters with prices

Trial Overview The study tests how different numbers and types of tobacco product posters at points-of-sale influence young adults' tobacco use. It looks at cigarettes, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and cigarillos across two concurrent studies.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Reduced Poster Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This condition will allow for a reduced number of posters with pricing information to be displayed.

Group II: No price Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This condition will allow for many posters with no pricing information to be displayed.

Group III: Status Quo Active Control 1 Intervention

This condition will allow for many posters with pricing information to be displayed.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

RAND

Lead Sponsor

Trials

145

Recruited

617,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Real Cost campaign, launched by the FDA in 2014, successfully raised awareness about the dangers of tobacco among U.S. youth, with 89% of them recalling at least one advertisement within 6 to 8 months of its launch.

The campaign was particularly effective among its target groups, achieving awareness levels of 90.5% among susceptible nonsmokers and 94.6% among youth who had experimented with smoking, indicating a strong initial impact on tobacco-related attitudes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth's Awareness of and Reactions to The Real Cost National Tobacco Public Education Campaign. Duke, JC., Alexander, TN., Zhao, X., et al.[2022]

A study of Australian students aged 12-17 from 1993 to 2008 found that higher exposure to tobacco control advertising (measured in targeted rating points, or TRPs) is linked to lower smoking prevalence among adolescents, particularly when cumulative exposure exceeds 5800 TRPs.

Specifically, exposure to at least 400 TRPs/month consistently reduced smoking likelihood, while even less frequent exposure at 800 TRPs/month was effective, highlighting the importance of both the intensity and duration of anti-smoking campaigns in reducing adolescent smoking rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What is the role of tobacco control advertising intensity and duration in reducing adolescent smoking prevalence? Findings from 16 years of tobacco control mass media advertising in Australia. White, VM., Durkin, SJ., Coomber, K., et al.[2023]

Tobacco advertising is most prevalent in gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and tobacco shops, with a notable increase in ads in neighborhoods with higher African-American/Black populations, indicating targeted marketing strategies.

Communities with more diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are exposed to different types of tobacco ads, such as menthol brands in areas with more African-American/Black and Asian residents, while predominantly White neighborhoods see ads that promote health-related claims, highlighting the need for regulatory action to mitigate these disparities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The relationship of neighborhood demographic characteristics to point-of-sale tobacco advertising and marketing. Widome, R., Brock, B., Noble, P., et al.[2023]

About 13% of U.S. middle and high school students reported exposure to tobacco coupons in the past 30 days, with higher rates among current tobacco users (34%) and those receptive to tobacco marketing (23%).

Factors such as being a current tobacco user, living with a tobacco user, and being receptive to tobacco marketing were significantly associated with increased exposure to coupons, highlighting the need for targeted efforts to reduce youth exposure to tobacco promotions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exposure to tobacco coupons among U.S. middle and high school students. Tessman, GK., Caraballo, RS., Corey, CG., et al.[2023]

A study involving 1313 adult smokers and recent quitters found that banning tobacco displays significantly reduced the urge to smoke and the likelihood of attempting to purchase cigarettes.

Implementing plain packaging and advertisements also decreased purchase attempts, suggesting that these policies could effectively reduce smoking rates among adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of point-of-sale tobacco displays and plain black and white cigarette packaging and advertisements on adults: Evidence from a virtual store experimental study. Nonnemaker, J., Kim, A., Shafer, P., et al.[2022]

Following the implementation of a point-of-sale (POS) tobacco display ban in New Zealand, smoking experimentation among year 10 students decreased from 23% in 2011 to 17% in 2014, indicating a significant reduction in youth smoking behaviors.

The study also found that the prevalence of current smoking dropped from 9% to 7%, and the association between visiting tobacco-retailing stores and smoking behaviors weakened, suggesting that POS display bans effectively contribute to reducing smoking initiation among young people.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of removing point-of-sale tobacco displays: data from a New Zealand youth survey. Edwards, R., Ajmal, A., Healey, B., et al.[2019]

A study involving 1216 youth aged 13 to 17 showed that banning tobacco displays at the point of sale significantly reduced awareness of tobacco products and attempts to purchase them, with only 32% aware of products compared to 85% in the status quo.

The results suggest that policies banning tobacco displays could effectively deter youth from buying tobacco, while banning ads had little effect on purchase attempts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of tobacco displays and ads on youth: a virtual store experiment. Kim, AE., Nonnemaker, JM., Loomis, BR., et al.[2022]

The 2012 point-of-sale display ban in supermarkets led to a significant decrease in the number of young people noticing tobacco displays, dropping from 58.8% in 2012 to 45.7% in 2013, indicating reduced exposure to tobacco marketing.

Despite the reduction in exposure to point-of-sale displays, the ban did not significantly affect smoking susceptibility or uptake among young people, suggesting that further measures may be needed to impact smoking behaviors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cohort study investigating the effects of first stage of the English tobacco point-of-sale display ban on awareness, susceptibility and smoking uptake among adolescents. Bogdanovica, I., McNeill, A., Britton, J.[2022]

In a study of 81 schools, it was found that retail stores near schools with high smoking prevalence had lower cigarette prices, more in-store promotions, and fewer health warnings compared to those near schools with low smoking prevalence.

The results suggest that Point of Purchase (PoP) tobacco marketing strategies are more aggressive in areas with higher youth smoking rates, indicating a need for legislation to regulate these marketing activities and enhance health warnings in school neighborhoods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tobacco Point-of-Purchase marketing in school neighbourhoods and school smoking prevalence: a descriptive study. Lovato, CY., Hsu, HC., Sabiston, CM., et al.[2020]

Exposure to supportive antismoking ads significantly reduced the urge to smoke among current smokers, indicating their potential effectiveness in tobacco control efforts.

Graphic antismoking ads and price promotions did not show a significant impact on smoking urges or tobacco purchases for either current smokers or recent quitters, suggesting that different types of ads may have varying levels of effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antismoking Advertisements and Price Promotions and Their Association With the Urge to Smoke and Purchases in a Virtual Convenience Store: Randomized Experiment. Dutra, LM., Nonnemaker, J., Bradfield, B., et al.[2020]

From 2015 to 2018, exterior cigarette advertisements near New Jersey high schools decreased, indicating a potential reduction in youth exposure to cigarette marketing, while interior advertisements remained stable.

Conversely, cigar advertisements increased significantly during the same period, suggesting a shift in marketing strategies that could influence youth tobacco use, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and regulation of point-of-sale advertising.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changes in Tobacco Product Advertising at Point of Sale: 2015-2018. Jeong, M., Kurti, MK., Hrywna, M., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth's Awareness of and Reactions to The Real Cost National Tobacco Public Education Campaign. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What is the role of tobacco control advertising intensity and duration in reducing adolescent smoking prevalence? Findings from 16 years of tobacco control mass media advertising in Australia. [2023]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The relationship of neighborhood demographic characteristics to point-of-sale tobacco advertising and marketing. [2023]

4. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exposure to tobacco coupons among U.S. middle and high school students. [2023]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of point-of-sale tobacco displays and plain black and white cigarette packaging and advertisements on adults: Evidence from a virtual store experimental study. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of removing point-of-sale tobacco displays: data from a New Zealand youth survey. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of tobacco displays and ads on youth: a virtual store experiment. [2022]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cohort study investigating the effects of first stage of the English tobacco point-of-sale display ban on awareness, susceptibility and smoking uptake among adolescents. [2022]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tobacco Point-of-Purchase marketing in school neighbourhoods and school smoking prevalence: a descriptive study. [2020]

10. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antismoking Advertisements and Price Promotions and Their Association With the Urge to Smoke and Purchases in a Virtual Convenience Store: Randomized Experiment. [2020]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changes in Tobacco Product Advertising at Point of Sale: 2015-2018. [2021]