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

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of preventive medicine 2000-05, Vol.18 (4), p.339-342
Main Authors: Kozlowski, Lynn T, Yost, Berwood, Stine, Michele M, Celebucki, Carolyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Advertising
Age Distribution
Analysis of Variance
Attitude to Health
Chi-Square Distribution
Female
Humans
interviews
Logistic Models
Male
Massachusetts - epidemiology
Middle Aged
Nicotiana - classification
Plants, Toxic
Population Surveillance
Sex Distribution
smoking
Smoking - epidemiology
Smoking Prevention
Statistics, Nonparametric
Surveys and Questionnaires
telephone
United States - epidemiology
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0749-3797
1873-2607
DOI:10.1016/S0749-3797(00)00125-2