Assessment of consumer response to smokeless tobacco modified risk marketing orders

ABSTRACT Some non-combustible tobacco products, such as various forms of smokeless tobacco (ST), can pose significantly fewer risks to individual users than traditional cigarettes, including those for several types of cancers. Although not safe, these products might offer the potential for harm reduction for adults who smoke

cigarettes who completely switch to them. Recognizing these issues, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a new pathway by which tobacco companies can apply for modified-risk tobacco product (MRTP) status and to legally make modified risk claims about their products. In March 2023, the FDA announced that

Copenhagen, the top-selling ST brand in the US, could legally make a modified risk claim in its advertising that complete switching from cigarettes to the product reduces risk of lung cancer. FDA had previously authorized a comparable claim for another ST brand, General Snus, about reduced risks for multiple diseases. The FDA’s

authorization of these ST claims is notable given that previous implicit health claims and tactics used by the tobacco industry in marketing cigarettes (notably “light” cigarettes”) are now banned by the FDA. Given the relative recency of these ST claim authorizations, little is still known about how such claims may impact

consumer behavior and health. Effects may depend on several factors including whether participants are exposed to the claims and find them to be believable and persuasive. Another open and innovative question is whether newly authorized claims for smokeless tobacco products, which make explicit health references, may

improve expectancies about and subjective ratings for these smokeless products when using them. Indeed, previous studies show that tobacco marketing, such as packaging color and marketing descriptors (e.g., “smooth), can impact subjective ratings of those products when used. This is important given that negative

product perceptions related to subjective use characteristics (such as taste, satisfaction, liking) have been noted as barriers/reasons why smokers have not switched to these products in the past. A negative sensory experience may undermine confidence in reduced risk claims and lead to reduced use intentions, whereas

enjoyable sensory experiences may lead to a reevaluation of beliefs about harmfulness, which in turn may increase future intentions to use. Overall, the current study seeks to explore consumer responses to the announcement and implementation of these new modified risk claims using a series of complementary and

innovative research activities, including an online survey and experiment, an experimental auction, and an in- person product use lab study. Two specific aims will explore 1) consumers’ exposure and reactions to authorized smokeless tobacco MRTP claims; and 2) whether the MRTP claims influence smokeless tobacco

demand and sensory evaluations.