How Flavors Were Used to Attract New Tobacco Users

Kostygina, Ganna

Thursday, August 16, 2012: 2:20 PM

2209 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Dr. Ganna Kostygina, PhD , Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco

Jessica Veffer, M.A. , The George Washington University

Dr. Pamela Ling, MD MPH , Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

Understand how flavors were used to appeal to starters and younger users. Describe three of the main challenges tobacco companies needed to overcome to recruit new and younger customers. Describe two strategies tobacco companies used to address these challenges and increase the appeal of smokeless tobacco to starters.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Non-Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Products and Youth

Audience: policymakers/regulators, advocates, health practitioners

Key Points:

Objectives: Investigate whether flavorings in smokeless tobacco (SLT) and other tobacco products (OTP) were intended to target new users or starters; describe the development and targeting of flavored products.
Methods: Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents, triangulated with data from national newspaper articles, trade press, and Internet.
Results: US Smokeless Tobacco (USST) and cigarette companies (e.g., RJR, B&W) conducted consumer research to determine how to recruit new users and retain customers. Tobacco companies recognized flavor as a main trial inducer for smokeless and other tobacco products, providing beginners with a more enjoyable first experience. To respond to recruitment problems (e.g., unpleasant mouth feel), tobacco companies developed flavored starter products with lower nicotine. Flavors may increase appeal to starters either by evoking a perception of mildness, or by actually modifying nicotine delivery by modifying product pH. The most popular flavors among the young were mint, wintergreen, and fruit. Higher nicotine “straight” or unflavored products were developed for more experienced users to retain customer base. Use of flavors in smokeless tobacco, cigars and cigarettes have many similarities.

Educational Experience: Presentation of evidence from tobacco industry documents, past and current tobacco advertising, and other sources (newspapers, trade press, etc.) to the audience, with opportunities to reflect and ask questions.

Benefits: The study provides evidence to support policies extending bans on flavored cigarettes to include other flavored tobacco products due to their youth and starter appeal.