title: Switching to "lighter" cigarettes and quitting smoking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Smokers who switch to "lighter" cigarettes may be diverted from quitting smoking. We assessed factors associated with switching and the association between switching and (1) making a quit attempt, and (2) recent quitting, yielding a measure of net quitting (attempts x recent quitting).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2003, a total of 30 800 ever-smokers who smoked in the past year provided history of switching and 3 reasons for switching: harm reduction, quitting smoking and flavour. Among those who made a past-year quit attempt, recent quitting was defined as >or=90-day abstinence when surveyed. Multivariable logistic regression identified determinants of outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 12 009 (38%) of ever-smokers switched. Among switchers, the most commonly cited reasons were flavour only (26%) and all 3 reasons (18%). Switchers (vs non-switchers) were more likely to make a quit attempt between 2002 and 2003 (51% vs 41%, p<0.001, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.58, (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48 to 1.69)), but less likely to have recently quit (9% vs 17%, p<0.001; AOR 0.40 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.45)), yielding lower overall net quitting (4.3% vs 7.0%, p<0.001; AOR 0.54, (95% CI 0.47 to 0.61)). The effects of switching on outcomes were most pronounced for reasons including quitting smoking, whereas switching for harm reduction alone had no association with outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with no switching, a history of switching was associated with 46% lower odds of net quitting.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. tindleha@upmc.edu
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tindle
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiffman
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bost
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult