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- Title
An Evaluation of Potential Unintended Consequences of a Nicotine Product Standard: A Focus on Drinking History and Outcomes.
- Authors
Dermody, Sarah S; Tessier, Katelyn M; Meier, Ellen; al'Absi, Mustafa; Denlinger-Apte, Rachel L; Drobes, David J; Jensen, Joni; Koopmeiners, Joseph S; Pacek, Lauren R; Tidey, Jennifer W; Vandrey, Ryan; Donny, Eric; Hatsukami, Dorothy
- Abstract
<bold>Introduction: </bold>A nicotine product standard reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes could improve public health by reducing smoking. This study evaluated the potential unintended consequences of a reduced nicotine product standard by examining its effects on (1) smoking behaviors based on drinking history; (2) drinking behavior; and (3) daily associations between smoking and drinking.<bold>Methods: </bold>Adults who smoke daily (n = 752) in the United States were randomly assigned to smoke very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes versus normal nicotine content (NNC; control) cigarettes for 20 weeks. Linear mixed models determined if baseline drinking moderated the effects of VLNC versus NNC cigarettes on Week 20 smoking outcomes. Time-varying effect models estimated the daily association between smoking VLNC cigarettes and drinking outcomes.<bold>Results: </bold>Higher baseline alcohol use (vs no use or lower use) was associated with a smaller effect of VLNC on Week 20 urinary total nicotine equivalents (ps < .05). No additional moderation was supported (ps > .05). In the subsample who drank (n = 415), in the VLNC versus NNC condition, daily alcohol use was significantly reduced from Weeks 17 to 20 and odds of binge drinking were significantly reduced from Weeks 9 to 17. By Week 7, in the VLNC cigarette condition (n = 272), smoking no longer predicted alcohol use but remained associated with binge drinking.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>We did not support negative unintended consequences of a nicotine product standard. Nicotine reduction in cigarettes generally affected smoking behavior for individuals who do not drink or drink light-to-moderate amounts in similar ways. Extended VLNC cigarette use may improve public health by reducing drinking behavior.<bold>Implications: </bold>There was no evidence that a VLNC product standard would result in unintended consequences based on drinking history or when considering alcohol outcomes. Specifically, we found that a very low nicotine standard in cigarettes generally reduces smoking outcomes for those who do not drink and those who drink light-to-moderate amounts. Furthermore, an added public health benefit of a very low nicotine standard for cigarettes could be a reduction in alcohol use and binge drinking over time. Finally, smoking VLNC cigarettes may result in a decoupling of the daily associations between smoking and drinking.
- Subjects
UNITED States; DRINKING behavior; NICOTINE; BINGE drinking; ALCOHOL drinking; CIGARETTES
- Publication
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2021, Vol 23, Issue 7, p1168
- ISSN
1462-2203
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1093/ntr/ntaa236