Effects of a Low Nicotine Standard and Tobacco Prices on Illegal Cigarette Purchasing

Overview

This study will investigate the effects of a very-low-nicotine cigarette (VLNC) standard, e-cigarette price, and illegal cigarette price on illegal product purchasing and alternative product use in a virtual marketplace.

Detailed description

This experiment will examine the effects of a VLNC standard, electronic cigarette price, and illegal cigarette price on illegal cigarette purchasing. Exclusive cigarette smokers and dual cigarette/nicotine vaping product (NVP) users, stratified by age, will complete multiple scenarios in the legal Experimental Tobacco Marketplace. The investigators will examine the effects of a VLNC standard, predicted to promote illegal purchasing. In the NNC conditions, participants' preferred normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes, NVPs, and a variety of other products will be available in the ETM, and preferred NNC cigarettes will also be available in the illegal marketplace. In the VLNC standard conditions, a ban will permit only VLNCs legally in the ETM, but preferred NNC cigarettes will continue to be available illegal marketplace. In this experiment, which will be completed in the lab, we will test three levels of NVP prices and three levels of illegal cigarette prices in scenarios under a VLNC standard or NNC condition. This study will involve a total of three sessions, including an assessment session, an ETM session, and a follow-up phone call.

Interventions

• Behavioral Nicotine Content
  In the full nicotine conditions, participants' preferred cigarettes and NVP products will be available in the LETM and preferred cigarettes will be available in the iETM. In the low nicotine conditions, a ban will permit only VLNCs in the LETM and preferred cigarettes will be available in the iETM.
• Behavioral Illegal cigarette price
  At each level of nicotine content, we will manipulate the price of illegal cigarettes (1xMP, 1.5x MP, 2x MP). MP is market price.
• Behavioral E-cigarette price
  At each level of nicotine content and illegal cigarette price, we will manipulate the price of e-cigarettes (1xMP, 1.5x MP, 2x MP). MP is the market price.

Primary outcome measures

• Percent of budget allocated to each product category (eg, legal cigarettes, e-cigarettes, illegal cigarettes, etc) in the marketplace [Time frame: 1 day]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Provide informed consent Be at least 21 years of age or older Provide a breath sample for measuring carbon monoxide (CO ≥ 8 ppm) Stable tobacco use patterns for at least two months

Exclusion criteria

For exclusive cigarette smokers:

Smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily and do not use NVPs regularly (no more than 9 times in the last month).

For dual cigarette/NVP users:

Smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily and use NVPs at least 3 times in a week (report use of closed nicotine salt system)

For both groups:

Have plans to move out of the area Have a serious or unstable physical or mental health condition Taking a tobacco cessation medication or medication that interferes with nicotine metabolism, motivation or reinforcement Report concrete, immediate plans to alter/quit using their usual nicotine products at the beginning of the study Being pregnant or lactating

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Crossover

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Basic science

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion — Roanoke

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07161050 · VT IRB #25-813 · 5P01CA200512

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗