Effects of a Low Nicotine Standard and Tobacco Prices on Illegal Cigarette Purchasing
Start Date
12/1/2025
Completion Date
10/7/2026
Summary
This study will investigate the effects of a very-low-nicotine cigarette (VLNC) standard, e-cigarette price, and illegal cigarette price on illegal product purchasing and alternative product use in a virtual marketplace.
Detailed Description
This experiment will examine the effects of a VLNC standard, electronic cigarette price, and illegal cigarette price on illegal cigarette purchasing. Exclusive cigarette smokers and dual cigarette/nicotine vaping product (NVP) users, stratified by age, will complete multiple scenarios in the legal Experimental Tobacco Marketplace. The investigators will examine the effects of a VLNC standard, predicted to promote illegal purchasing. In the NNC conditions, participants' preferred normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes, NVPs, and a variety of other products will be available in the ETM, and preferred NNC cigarettes will also be available in the illegal marketplace. In the VLNC standard conditions, a ban will permit only VLNCs legally in the ETM, but preferred NNC cigarettes will continue to be available illegal marketplace. In this experiment, which will be completed in the lab, we will test three levels of NVP prices and three levels of illegal cigarette prices in scenarios under a VLNC standard or NNC condition. This study will involve a total of three sessions, including an assessment session, an ETM session, and a follow-up phone call.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Range: 21 years to No maximum
Interventions
Nicotine Content
Illegal cigarette price
E-cigarette price
Conditions
Locations
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion
Roanoke, Virginia 24016
United States