Modeling Tobacco Regulatory Impacts in Appalachia Using the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace

Launched by MIKHAIL N KOFFARNUS · Jan 22, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study from the University of Kentucky is designed to understand how proposed rules about tobacco and nicotine products might affect people’s choices and use in Appalachian Kentucky. In a realistic online marketplace, participants will explore and buy tobacco products under different regulatory scenarios and with different nicotine levels (including very low nicotine cigarettes). Researchers will look at overall demand (how much people buy) and which products people switch to when prices or rules change, to see how rural versus more urban areas might respond.

Who can participate and what to expect: Adults aged 21 and older who currently use nicotine or tobacco every day, and who do not plan to quit in the next 9 weeks, may be eligible. The study involves baseline assessments, a 9-week online period where you’ll do shopping tasks in the simulated marketplace and track your tobacco use, plus frequent questionnaires and some biological checks (breath carbon monoxide tests twice daily, saliva cotinine samples). You’ll also report daily use, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings through an app. Participants are randomly assigned to different groups (rural vs peri-urban locations and conventional vs very low nicotine cigarettes) and will experience several regulatory scenarios during the study. The trial is currently enrolling and results aren’t available yet; the estimated study completion date is 2028.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • At least 21 years old
• • Consume nicotine and/or tobacco products daily
• • Have no plans to quit nicotine/tobacco consumption or seek treatment in the subsequent 9 weeks
• • Read and understand English
• Exclusion Criteria: