Differences in Young Adults’ Perceptions of and Willingness to Use Nicotine Pouches by Tobacco Use Status

Erin A. Vogel, Jessica L. Barrington-Trimis, Afton Kechter, Alayna P. Tackett, Fei Liu, Steve Sussman, Caryn Lerman, Jennifer B. Unger, Chanita Hughes Halbert, Benjamin W. Chaffee and Adam M. Leventhal
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Erin A. Vogel: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Jessica L. Barrington-Trimis: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Afton Kechter: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Alayna P. Tackett: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Fei Liu: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Steve Sussman: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Caryn Lerman: Institute for Addiction Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Jennifer B. Unger: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Chanita Hughes Halbert: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Benjamin W. Chaffee: Division of Oral Epidemiology and Dental Public Health, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
Adam M. Leventhal: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Oral nicotine pouches may appeal to young adult current nicotine/tobacco users interested in alternative forms of nicotine that lack pulmonary exposure, but may also appeal to young adult non-users of nicotine/tobacco products. We used data from a 2020 remote digital survey of an ongoing cohort study of young adults from Southern California (aged 19–23) to examine differences in pouch perceptions and use willingness across nicotine/tobacco use statuses. Participants who had never used nicotine pouches ( N = 1167) viewed text/imagery from mass-marketed pouch packaging and advertising, then completed measures of willingness to use nicotine pouches, pouch harm perceptions, and hypothetical choice of cigarettes or e-cigarettes over pouches. Willingness to use pouches was significantly higher among non-combustible only (33.8%), combustible only (29.3%), and dual (43.9%) users than non-users (14.7%). Overall, 49.1% of participants were uncertain whether pouches were less harmful than cigarettes and 52.4% were uncertain whether pouches were less harmful than e-cigarettes. Relative harm perceptions did not significantly differ by tobacco use status. Those using non-combustible products (either alone or as part of dual use with combustible tobacco) had greater odds than non-users of reporting that they would use e-cigarettes over nicotine pouches. By contrast, all tobacco product user groups reported greater odds than non-users that they would use cigarettes over pouches. In sum, a sizable minority of young adults might be willing to try using nicotine pouches, but most are uncertain about the relative harm of pouches.

Keywords: nicotine; young adult; nicotine pouch; oral nicotine product; willingness; harm perception (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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