Massachusetts' advertising against light cigarettes appears to change beliefs and behavior.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the effects of advertising directed against light cigarettes (lights).


METHODS
In a quasi-experimental post-test-only design, smokers and ex-smokers (</=1 year) in Massachusetts (MASS) (N=500) and the continental United States (U.S. ) (N=501) took part in random-digit dialing telephone interviews. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to control for gender, education, and age effects.


RESULTS
Compared with the U.S., the MASS sample contained more, recent ex-smokers (10% vs. 7% in the U.S.) and more smokers of higher tar cigarettes (44% vs. 35% smokers of regular cigarettes); more U.S. respondents thought lights had at least a slim chance of reducing the risk of health problems (49% vs. 32%). Within MASS, smokers who saw anti-light ads were less likely to think lights decreased the risk of health problems (26% vs. 44%) and more likely to know of filter vents (64% vs. 47%). These effects remained statistically reliable after adjusting for confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
Amidst extensive anti-smoking efforts, the MASS campaign to counter-market light cigarettes appears to promote smoking cessation and to inform smokers of the risks of light cigarettes. Further counter-marketing efforts should be encouraged.
Kozlowski
L T
LT
Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
Yost
B
B
Stine
M M
MM
Celebucki
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000145:classification*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology