Effect of Cigarette Pack Warnings and Packaging Among Young Adult Smokers

The study includes young adult smokers ages 18 to 30. Eligible participants are young adults
ages 18 to 30 years inclusive who report smoking at least 100 lifetime cigarettes and now
smoking on all or some days. Participants must also reside in the metro Washington, DC area.
The first portion of the study is a within-subjects experiment simulating point of sale
cigarette purchase behaviors based on 2 packaging features: (1) graphic warning messages
framed to emphasize either the health benefits of quitting (i.e., gain framed) or the health
risks of smoking (i.e., loss-framed) and (2) industry branded or plain (i.e., standardized
unbranded) packaging. In the second portion of the study, the same participants take part in
a prospective experiment to determine the impact of graphic cigarette warning message framing
(gain versus loss) and packaging (branded versus plain) on motivation to quit and smoking
behavior. Participants are randomized to use 1 of 4 experimentally adapted cigarette packs in
place of their regular packs for 4 weeks, or to a control condition which will continue to
use their regular packs. All participants complete baseline and follow-up assessments and
respond to daily mobile phone text message prompts on their personal mobile phones during the
4 week exposure period. Participants complete follow-up assessments capturing motivation to
quit, smoking behavior, and quit attempts at the conclusion of the 4 week exposure period and
1- and 3-months later.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Ages 18 to 30 years

- Smoke at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime

- Now smoke cigarettes on all or some days

- Reside in the Washington, DC metro area

- Willing to send and receive text messages on a personal mobile phone

Exclusion Criteria:

- No additional exclusion criteria