Unboxed: US Young Adult Tobacco Users’ Responses to a New Heated Tobacco Product

Minji Kim, Shannon Lea Watkins, Kimberly A. Koester, Jeremiah Mock, Hyunjin Cindy Kim, Sarah Olson, Arit Michael Harvanko and Pamela M. Ling
Additional contact information
Minji Kim: Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Shannon Lea Watkins: Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Kimberly A. Koester: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Jeremiah Mock: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Hyunjin Cindy Kim: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Sarah Olson: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Arit Michael Harvanko: Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Pamela M. Ling: Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: The heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS was authorized for sale in the US in 2019. We investigated how young adults with experience using multiple tobacco products reacted to, perceived, and developed interest in IQOS, informing policies that might prevent HTPs from becoming ubiquitous. We used a novel qualitative method in which 33 young adult tobacco users in California (fall 2019) “unboxed” an IQOS device, tobacco sticks, and marketing materials and narrated their impressions and opinions. We conducted content and thematic analyses of participants’ reactions, sensory experiences, and interest. Multiple attributes influenced appeal for participants, including sleek electronic design, novel technology, perceived harmfulness, complexity, and high cost. The “no smoke” claim and heating technology suggested that smoking IQOS was safer than smoking cigarettes. Public health programs should closely monitor HTP marketing and uptake, particularly as “reduced exposure” claims were authorized in July 2020. Evidence-based regulations (e.g., requiring plain packaging for tobacco sticks), actions addressing IQOS’ unique attributes (e.g., regulating device packaging to reduce high-tech appeal), and public education might help to counter the appeal generated by potentially misleading IQOS marketing tactics.

Keywords: heat-not-burn; heated tobacco product; marketing; vaping; e-cigarettes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8108-:d:439442

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