Unboxed: US Young Adult Tobacco Users' Responses to a New Heated Tobacco Product

The heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS was authorized for sale in the US in 2019. We investigated how young adults with experience using multiple tobacco products reacted to, perceived, and developed interest in IQOS, informing policies that might prevent HTPs from becoming ubiquitous. We used a nove...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2020-11, Vol.17 (21), p.8108
Main Authors: Kim, Minji, Watkins, Shannon Lea, Koester, Kimberly A, Mock, Jeremiah, Kim, Hyunjin Cindy, Olson, Sarah, Harvanko, Arit Michael, Ling, Pamela M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cigarette industry
Cigarettes
Codes
Data collection
Electronic cigarettes
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
Female
Health risk assessment
Health risks
Humans
Interviews
Male
Marketing
Nicotine
Packaging
Perceptions
Product Packaging
Public health
Questionnaires
Smoking
Tactics
Technology
Tobacco
Tobacco industry
Tobacco Products
Tobacco Use
Vaping
Young Adult
Young adults
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Summary:The heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS was authorized for sale in the US in 2019. We investigated how young adults with experience using multiple tobacco products reacted to, perceived, and developed interest in IQOS, informing policies that might prevent HTPs from becoming ubiquitous. We used a novel qualitative method in which 33 young adult tobacco users in California (fall 2019) "unboxed" an IQOS device, tobacco sticks, and marketing materials and narrated their impressions and opinions. We conducted content and thematic analyses of participants' reactions, sensory experiences, and interest. Multiple attributes influenced appeal for participants, including sleek electronic design, novel technology, perceived harmfulness, complexity, and high cost. The "no smoke" claim and heating technology suggested that smoking IQOS was safer than smoking cigarettes. Public health programs should closely monitor HTP marketing and uptake, particularly as "reduced exposure" claims were authorized in July 2020. Evidence-based regulations (e.g., requiring plain packaging for tobacco sticks), actions addressing IQOS' unique attributes (e.g., regulating device packaging to reduce high-tech appeal), and public education might help to counter the appeal generated by potentially misleading IQOS marketing tactics.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph17218108