Effects of Tax Proposals and Cigarette Availability on Tobacco Purchasing

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University316 enrolled

Overview

This study will investigate the effects of normal-nicotine versus low-nicotine cigarette availability in the context of four tax proposals (Tobacco Parity, Nicotine-Content, Harm-Reduction, and Modified Risk Tobacco Product-based taxes) on tobacco product purchasing patterns in a virtual marketplace.

In a within/between subjects design, the investigators will use an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM) to systematically impose four innovative tobacco/nicotine tax proposals (Tobacco Parity, Nicotine-Content, Harm-Reduction, and Modified Risk Tobacco Product-related taxes) covering a broad range of tax magnitudes. Participants will complete two control trials and one tax proposal condition, with and without the conventional cigarettes available in the marketplace. Each condition (with and without conventional cigarettes) will include five price scenarios, with tax rates increasing across scenarios by a multiplicative factor. Tobacco products are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax, according to the goals of each proposal.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

316

Conditions

Cigarette Smoking

Interventions

Harm Reduction Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Harm Reduction Tax Condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. All combustible products with high abuse liability are placed in the high-tax tier. All non-combustible products or combustible products with low abuse liability are placed in the medium-tax tier. Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Harm Reduction Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes Not AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Harm Reduction Tax Condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. All combustible products with high abuse liability are placed in the high-tax tier. All non-combustible products or combustible products with low abuse liability are placed in the medium-tax tier. Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are NOT available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 21 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * provide informed consent * provide a breath carbon monoxide sample ≥ 8 ppm, * be at least 21 years of age (the legal age to purchase tobacco), * smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily, and * use other tobacco products less than weekly. Exclusion Criteria: * report uncontrolled physical or mental health conditions (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, major depressive disorder, etc.), * use of smoking cessation medications (e.g., nicotine replacement, bupropion, varenicline) in the past 30 days, * report concrete, immediate plans to alter/quit using their usual tobacco products in the next 30 days, * be pregnant or lactating, or * have plans to move out of the area during the experiment.

Locations (2)

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Buffalo, New York, United States

RECRUITING

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC

Roanoke, Virginia, United States

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Percent of Budget Allocated to Products from each Tax Tier

The investigators will measure the percent of each participant's study budget spent on products from each of the three tax tiers (high-, medium, and no-tax).

Time frame: Day 1

Secondary Outcomes

Quantity of Products Purchased from each Tax Tier

The investigators will measure the quantity of individual units of tobacco/nicotine products purchased from each tax tier (high-, medium, and no-tax).

Time frame: Day 1

Central Contacts

Kirstin Gatchalian

CONTACT

540-526-2071 kmgatch@vtc.vt.edu

Madeleine G Mason, Ph.D.

CONTACT

540-526-2114 mgmason@vtc.vt.edu

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Modified Risk Tobacco Product Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Modified Risk Tobacco Products tax condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, all non-MRTP tobacco products are placed in the high-tax tier, MRTPs are placed in the medium-tax tier, and Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Modified Risk Tobacco Product Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes Not AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Modified Risk Tobacco Products tax condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, all non-MRTP tobacco products are placed in the high-tax tier, MRTPs are placed in the medium-tax tier, and Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are NOT available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Nicotine Content Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Nicotine-Content Tax Condition, products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, products with greater than 3 mg nicotine per single unit are placed in the high-tax tier, products with 0.6-3.0 mg/unit in the medium-tax tier, and those with 0.5 mg/unit or less in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Nicotine Content Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes Not AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Nicotine-Content Tax Condition, products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, products with greater than 3 mg nicotine per single unit are placed in the high-tax tier, products with 0.6-3.0 mg/unit in the medium-tax tier, and those with 0.5 mg/unit or less in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are NOT available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Tobacco Parity Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Tobacco Parity Tax condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, all tobacco products are placed in the high-tax tier while products that do not contain tobacco (e.g., herbal cigarettes and nicotine-free ENDS) are placed in the medium-tax tier. Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.

Tobacco Parity Tax - Normal Nicotine Cigarettes Not AvailableBEHAVIORAL

In the Tobacco Parity Tax condition, tobacco products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace are placed into three tax tiers: high-, medium-, and no-tax. In this condition, all tobacco products are placed in the high-tax tier while products that do not contain tobacco (e.g., herbal cigarettes and nicotine-free ENDS) are placed in the medium-tax tier. Nicotine Replacement Therapy products are placed in the no-tax tier. The participant's preferred normal-nicotine content cigarettes are NOT available in the marketplace. Participants complete two trials with all products offered at market price, and five trials with prices for each product increasing proportionally to tax tier.